sever
Americanverb (used with object)
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to separate (a part) from the whole, as by cutting or the like.
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to divide into parts, especially forcibly; cleave.
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to break off or dissolve (ties, relations, etc.).
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Law. to divide into parts; disunite (an estate, titles of a statute, etc.).
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to distinguish; discriminate between.
verb (used without object)
verb
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to put or be put apart; separate
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to divide or be divided into parts
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(tr) to break off or dissolve (a tie, relationship, etc)
Etymology
Origin of sever
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English severen, from Middle French sev(e)rer; see separate
Explanation
To sever something is to cut it off from the whole. If your girlfriend breaks up with you on your anniversary, you might respond by severing the blossoms off the roses you were planning to give her. (Just an idea.) Sever rhymes with ever, but it looks like the word severe, which means "harsh." The similarity between sever and severe is a good reminder to reserve sever for harsh, unpleasant circumstances. If you’re trimming your fingernails, you might use the word clip, but sever wouldn’t be appropriate. If, however, you somehow cut off your finger while clipping your fingernails, you’re free to use the word sever — or any other word you like — on your way to the hospital.
Vocabulary lists containing sever
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Beowulf vocabulary
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
They represent pure profit, meaning some clubs choose to sever that connection and cash in.
From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026
Kikuo and Shunsuke complement one another as performers but a shocking turn of events will sever their bond.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 2026
If Anthropic was put on the supply-chain-risk list, it would force other companies that do business with the Pentagon to sever their Anthropic relationship too.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 16, 2026
After crushing a Jewish revolt in the second century, Emperor Hadrian sought to sever the Jewish connection to the land by renaming the province “Syria Palaestina”—a name derived from the long-vanished Philistines.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 5, 2026
He was dying—of that, he was certain—but he wondered how long it would take for his body to really sever from this world.
From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
