separate 1 of 2

adjective

ˈse-p(ə-)rət How to pronounce separate (audio)
Definition of separatenext
1
as in different
not the same or shared we stayed in separate apartments on our vacation

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in single
not physically attached to another unit the housing development has 200 separate homes, each with its own enclosed yard

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3
as in independent
not being under the rule or control of another the former Soviet republic is now a separate country

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in personal
of, relating to, or belonging to a single person the husband and wife each have separate interests

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

separate

2 of 2

verb

ˈse-pə-ˌrāt How to pronounce separate (audio)
1
as in to divide
to set or force apart we tried to separate the gluey pages, but they were stuck tight

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2
as in to part
to go or move in different directions from a central point the searchers separated in order to cover more ground

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3
as in to classify
to arrange or assign according to type separate the students by reading ability

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4
as in to isolate
to set or keep apart from others separated the injured calf from the herd

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5
as in to differentiate
to understand or point out the difference in trying to separate science from religion on one specific point

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word separate different from other adjectives like it?

The words discrete and distinct are common synonyms of separate. While all three words mean "not being each and every one the same," separate often stresses lack of connection or a difference in identity between two things.

separate rooms

When could discrete be used to replace separate?

Although the words discrete and separate have much in common, discrete strongly emphasizes individuality and lack of connection.

broke the job down into discrete stages

When would distinct be a good substitute for separate?

The meanings of distinct and separate largely overlap; however, distinct indicates that something is distinguished by the mind or eye as being apart or different from others.

two distinct versions

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of separate
Adjective
And of the approximately 100 best-selling drugs examined in a separate study covering roughly the same time period, nearly 80% received an additional patent to extend their monopoly period beyond what was originally intended. —Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 6 Apr. 2025 The coed boarding school in Wiltshire is around an hour from their home in Windsor and could accommodate all three of their children, meaning no separate arrangements would need to be made for Charlotte. —John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Apr. 2025
Verb
Two years later, Neige’s sister Rose was born; and a few years after that, the girls’ parents separated. —Leslie Camhi, New Yorker, 4 Apr. 2025 Just one point separates Ajax, who won the league title last year, from the other contenders. —Tamerra Griffin, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for separate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for separate
  1. different
  2. single
  3. independent
  4. personal
  5. divide
  6. part
  7. classify
  8. isolate
Adjective
  • New York is estimated to have over 100 different types of trees, with the most common kinds being birch, maple and beech trees.
    — Noël Fletcher, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025
  • Texas lawmakers are looking to rein in access to products that contain THC, but the House and Senate could take somewhat different approaches.
    — Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Mar. 2025
Definition of different
Adjective
  • The singer-songwriter first announced the single in January 2024 with an audio excerpt posted on Instagram.
    — Abigail Lee, Variety, 11 Apr. 2025
  • Without a single source of truth, organizations struggle to make informed decisions, manage costs or build resilience in the face of unpredictability.
    — Sarah Jones, Sourcing Journal, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of single
Adjective
  • The government insists the judiciary is independent, but critics say the evidence in Imamoglu's case is based on secret witnesses and lacks credibility.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Donald Trump can – for now – remove Democratic members from two federal labor boards, a federal appeals court ruled on Friday, handing the Republican president a victory in his efforts to bring independent federal agencies under his control.
    — Daniel Wiessner, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2025
Definition of independent
Adjective
  • The benefits of using apple cider vinegar for sleep or taking it specifically at night are largely based on personal accounts rather than research.
    — Johna Burdeos, Health, 7 Apr. 2025
  • Once data has gone into a public chatbot, there’s very little control over what happens to it, and there have been cases of personal data entered by one user being exposed in responses to other users.
    — Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Definition of personal
Verb
  • The appeals court divided 2-1 in turning down the government's request to halt Boasberg's directive.
    — Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2025
  • The Trump administration reportedly calculated the tariff by dividing the trade deficit ($7.4 billion) by the value of imports to America ($22.2 billion) and then essentially halving the figure to reach 17%.
    — Amelie Botbol, FOXNews.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Definition of divide
Verb
  • That's when glorious God gave Moses the power to part the water by raising his arm.
    — Holly Rizzuto Palker, Parents, 27 Mar. 2025
  • Jeffrey respected her wishes and the two parted for a summer.
    — Aditi Shrikant, CNBC, 19 Mar. 2025
Definition of part
Verb
  • The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies the Western Santa Cruz tortoises as critically endangered, estimating approximately 3,400 tortoises remained as of 2010.
    — Ayana Archie, NPR, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Kathleen Kelley Reardon, an expert on organizational politics, classifies political environments from minimally to pathologically politicized.
    — Caroline Castrillon, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of classify
Verb
  • An old John Lennon demo was transformed into a complete song by isolating his vocals (and George Harrison’s guitar tone) and combining that with new recordings from the rest of the living band.
    — Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 10 Apr. 2025
  • However, because the patient was isolated in a hospital, the more dangerous viruses didn't transmit to others.
    — Amy Maxmen | KFF Health News, ABC News, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of isolate

Browse Nearby Words

separable
separate
separated
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Cite this Entry

“Separate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/separate. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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