severed
Americanadjective
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separated from the whole or divided into parts, as by cutting or the like.
The severed cables belonged to two internet companies.
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(of ties or a relationship) broken off or dissolved.
One of the greatest tragedies we see in our work is the severed relationships between those in need and their family and friends.
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Law. (of an estate, titles of a statute, etc.) divided into parts.
A practice known as severed property, or split estates, allows developers to keep or obtain mineral rights underneath privately owned land.
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of severed
Explanation
Something severed is cut off from its whole. A severed rope turns into two detached and individual pieces. In a severed relationship, people lose communication with one another. To be severed is to be separated completely. Think of a tree branch being cut away from its trunk, or a connection being broken between two friends. The word comes from the Latin separare, meaning "to separate or pull apart." The adjective can refer to physical objects, like ropes or limbs, or to relationships and ties, such as friendships or contracts.
Vocabulary lists containing severed
Phineas Gage
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Compound Fracture
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The Black Girl Survives in This One
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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.
These are among the most severe forms of DNA damage because both strands of the DNA molecule are severed.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 2, 2026
As CEO, van Raemdonck closed stores, cut staff, and severed some partnerships, The Wall Street Journal reported.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026
This has effectively severed the supply of EU workers to NI's food processing and manufacturing plants.
From BBC ● Jun. 14, 2026
Activists have urged L.A. to join the list of cities that have severed ties with the license plate reader company over concerns about how data is stored and shared.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 9, 2026
But after Henry died, it was as if some thread which bound us had been abruptly severed, and soon after we began to drift apart.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
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.
