sunder

American  

[suhn-der] / ˈsʌn dər /

verb (used with object)

1. to separate; part; divide; sever.

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verb (used without object)

1. to become separated; part.

sunder British  

/ ˈsʌndə /

verb

1. to break or cause to break apart or in pieces

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noun

1. into pieces; apart

Other Word Forms

• sunderable adjective
• sunderance noun
• sunderer noun

Etymology

Origin of sunder

First recorded before 900; Middle English sundren, Old English sundrian; cognate with German sondern, Old Norse sundra; sundry

Explanation

Think of the word sunder as violently tearing something apart. A frequent line in a wedding ceremony is, "What God has joined together, let no man tear asunder." Keep that in mind, and you'll have the meaning of the word. Throughout its history, the word sunder has carried the same basic meaning, "to tear or break apart." It is of good Germanic stock, coming from the Old English verb sundrian. All of the related Germanic words, then and now, carry the idea of separation, usually in a violent or unpleasant manner.

Example Sentences

Democratic consultant Jim Ross and his Republican consultant brother, Tom, say their affection and mutual regard is something no campaign can ever sunder — even in these contentious times.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 7, 2025

Importing market logic into a longer-term, less impersonal relationship makes no sense, and in fact, it tends to sunder those relations.

From Washington Post • Feb. 26, 2019

So their 'solution' was to sunder the siblings.

From New York Times • Jan. 2, 2018

Any move to sunder diplomatic relations again would recreate a long-standing irritant for the region.

From Economist • Oct. 5, 2017

Taran expected Fflewddur’s harp strings to sunder at any moment.

From "The Book of Three" by Lloyd Alexander