sever
Americanverb (used with object)
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to separate (a part) from the whole, as by cutting or the like.
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to divide into parts, especially forcibly; cleave.
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to break off or dissolve (ties, relations, etc.).
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Law. to divide into parts; disunite (an estate, titles of a statute, etc.).
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to distinguish; discriminate between.
verb (used without object)
verb
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to put or be put apart; separate
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to divide or be divided into parts
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(tr) to break off or dissolve (a tie, relationship, etc)
Etymology
Origin of sever
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English severen, from Middle French sev(e)rer; see separate
Explanation
To sever something is to cut it off from the whole. If your girlfriend breaks up with you on your anniversary, you might respond by severing the blossoms off the roses you were planning to give her. (Just an idea.) Sever rhymes with ever, but it looks like the word severe, which means "harsh." The similarity between sever and severe is a good reminder to reserve sever for harsh, unpleasant circumstances. If you’re trimming your fingernails, you might use the word clip, but sever wouldn’t be appropriate. If, however, you somehow cut off your finger while clipping your fingernails, you’re free to use the word sever — or any other word you like — on your way to the hospital.
Vocabulary lists containing sever
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Beowulf vocabulary
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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.
They represent pure profit, meaning some clubs choose to sever that connection and cash in.
From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026
Aoun said "targeting bridges over the Litani River... is an attempt to sever the geographical link between the area south of the Litani and the rest of Lebanon's territory".
From Barron's • Mar. 22, 2026
The U.A.E. is now weighing freezing billions of dollars of Iranian assets held in the Gulf state, The Wall Street Journal has reported, a move that could sever one of Tehran’s most important economic lifelines.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 7, 2026
Kikuo and Shunsuke complement one another as performers but a shocking turn of events will sever their bond.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 2026
It was the easiest way to sever the threads of the conversation.
From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny
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.
