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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Support for Israel has become an increasingly divisive issue since the Oct. 7 attacks. Jared Gans, The Hill, 8 Apr. 2025 In a recent post on X, the rapper and producer, formerly known as Kanye West, attributed his absence from one of the world’s biggest performance platforms to three defining, and divisive, moments in his career. Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 8 Apr. 2025 Experts say more must be done to save lives, but exactly how to stop the rising number of canine attacks has become an extremely divisive issue. Laura A. Bischoff, USA Today, 6 Apr. 2025 As the son of the late Senator Robert F. Kennedy and the nephew of President John F. Kennedy, RFK Jr. occupies a central yet divisive position in the storied Kennedy family tree. Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Apr. 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 18 Apr. 2025.

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