separation

noun

sep·​a·​ra·​tion ˌse-pə-ˈrā-shən How to pronounce separation (audio)
Synonyms of separationnext
1
: the act or process of separating : the state of being separated
2
a
: a point, line, or means of division
b
: an intervening space : gap
the separation between wheel spokes
3
a
: cessation of cohabitation between a married couple by mutual agreement or judicial decree
b
: termination of a contractual relationship (such as employment or military service)

Synonyms of separation

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of separation in a Sentence

After a separation of 30 years, she visited her family in Cuba. Moving away meant separation from his family.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
So many people date each other, break up, date each other again, that sometimes there are almost no degrees of separation. — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 3 Aug. 2026 Personally, however, Stewart was going through a difficult time; the same year that the lifestyle magazine debuted, Stewart’s divorce from her husband was finalized, following a three-year separation. — Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 3 Aug. 2026 As a result, our focus will be on forward guidance, end market commentary, and any new opportunities the team may have discovered since separation to enhance efficiencies. — Zev Fima,kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 2 Aug. 2026 This dual-sided design enables the membrane to handle different contaminants while supporting more efficient desalination and oil separation. — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 2 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for separation

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of separation was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing separation

Rhymes for separation

See All Rhymes for separation

Browse Nearby Words

separatio bonorum
separation
separation anxiety
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Separation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/separation. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

separation

noun
sep·​a·​ra·​tion ˌsep-ə-ˈrā-shən How to pronounce separation (audio)
1
: the act or process of separating : the state of being separated
2
a
: a point or line of division
b
: a space that comes between things : gap
the separation between wheel spokes
3
a
: a formal separating of spouses by agreement but without divorce
b
: the ending of a relationship that is bound by a contract (as employment or military service)

Medical Definition

separation

noun
sep·​a·​ra·​tion ˌsep-ə-ˈrā-shən How to pronounce separation (audio)
1
: the process of isolating or extracting from or of becoming isolated from a mixture
also : the resulting state
2
: dislocation see shoulder separation

Legal Definition

separation

noun
sep·​a·​ra·​tion ˌse-pə-ˈrā-shən How to pronounce separation (audio)
1
: cessation of cohabitation between a married couple by mutual agreement with intent that it be permanent
also : legal separation compare divorce

Note: In some cases in which the estrangement is extreme, a separation is considered to have occurred even when the couple retain the same residence if they have stopped communicating and engaging in sexual relations and intend to be separated.

2
: termination of a contractual relationship (as employment or military service)

More from Merriam-Webster on separation

Nglish: Translation of separation for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about separation

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All