divisive

adjective

di·​vi·​sive də-ˈvī-siv How to pronounce divisive (audio)
also
-ˈvi- How to pronounce divisive (audio)
 or  -ziv
: creating disunity or dissension
a divisive issue
divisive rhetoric
divisively adverb
divisiveness noun

Examples of divisive in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Sebastian Stan scores first major awards season nomination for playing Donald Trump after divisive presidential election How to watch the 2025 Independent Spirit Awards The 40th Film Independent Spirit Awards stream live on Saturday, Feb. 22, at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. Jillian Sederholm, EW.com, 21 Feb. 2025 On the latter track, Cole addressed his divisive decision to apologize for dissing Kendrick Lamar and step away from a brewing rap battle with the GNX rapper. Mackenzie Cummings-Grady, Billboard, 21 Feb. 2025 President Trump said on Wednesday that the federal government should take over Washington, D.C., wading into the decades-old and divisive issue of how the nation’s capital is run. Qasim Nauman, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2025 The resulting show, The Rings of Power, has been divisive among fans, to say the least, albeit still popular in terms of streaming numbers. James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for divisive

Word History

First Known Use

1642, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of divisive was in 1642

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Cite this Entry

“Divisive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/divisive. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

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