divisive
Americanadjective
-
causing or tending to cause disagreement or dissension
-
archaic having the quality of distinguishing
Other Word Forms
- divisively adverb
- divisiveness noun
- nondivisive adjective
- nondivisively adverb
- semidivisive adjective
- semidivisively adverb
- undivisive adjective
- undivisively adverb
Etymology
Origin of divisive
First recorded in 1590–1600; from Late Latin dīvīsīvus, equivalent to Latin dīvīs(us) ( see divisible) + -īvus adjective suffix ( see -ive)
Explanation
If you say something that is intended to make people angry with each other, your words are divisive. If you want to avoid divisive talk at your family's Thanksgiving dinner, it's probably best to avoid discussing politics. The adjective divisive is related to the verb divide, which means "to separate things or pull them apart." Divisive things divide. That's why it's best to avoid potentially divisive topics like politics if you believe you are in the company of people who have differing opinions. Don't confuse divisive with decisive, which means "able to make decisions" and "unmistakable, beyond a doubt."
Vocabulary lists containing divisive
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Hamilton
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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.
The charismatic preacher was an influential and divisive figure during the final years of Romanov rule in Russia.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026
The divisive new building opens to members April 19 and widely May 4.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026
Frank Ocean gave a divisive performance Weekend 1 before dropping off the Weekend 2 lineup.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026
Although the country has formally returned to civilian rule, efforts to address past abuses have been slow and, at times, deeply divisive.
From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026
The confluence of race and sex was a powerful force in dismantling Reconstruction after the Civil War, sustaining Jim Crow laws for a century and fueling divisive racial politics throughout the twentieth century.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
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.
