separate 1 of 2

1
as in different
not the same or shared we stayed in separate apartments on our vacation

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in single
not physically attached to another unit the housing development has 200 separate homes, each with its own enclosed yard

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
4

separate

2 of 2

verb

1
2
as in to part
to go or move in different directions from a central point the searchers separated in order to cover more ground

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
4
5
6
as in to split
to cause (people) to break up into opposing groups The controversy separated the company's leadership into competing sides.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word separate different from other adjectives like it?

The words discrete and distinct are common synonyms of separate. While all three words mean "not being each and every one the same," separate often stresses lack of connection or a difference in identity between two things.

separate rooms

When could discrete be used to replace separate?

Although the words discrete and separate have much in common, discrete strongly emphasizes individuality and lack of connection.

broke the job down into discrete stages

When would distinct be a good substitute for separate?

The meanings of distinct and separate largely overlap; however, distinct indicates that something is distinguished by the mind or eye as being apart or different from others.

two distinct versions

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of separate
Adjective
The 2025 Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) has unveiled the selection of documentaries in its Doc@PÖFF International and Baltic competitions, with Baltic documentaries and feature films set to compete in separate programs for the first time. Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2025 Plus, a separate study highlighted that advanced degrees, often in the medical field, are the key to unlocking jobs that pay over $200,000. Jessica Coacci, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
Flurries of Revolutionary War battle reenactments were also recorded around the centennial, in 1876; participants then included many Civil War veterans, separated from real battlefield carnage by only a few summers. Caity Weaver, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2025 Because the brand has not had a particularly distinctive point of view for several seasons, Dario Vitale successfully mixed it up with very retro references, a youthful exuberance, and separated his point of view from his predecessor, Donatella. Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for separate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for separate
Adjective
  • While malls generally prohibit firearms of any kind inside, businesses along public streets face a different situation.
    Michael Butler, Miami Herald, 11 Oct. 2025
  • Stephanie Gioia-Beckman, a senior director at the Policy & Innovation Center, noted that all of these different job classifications require many hours of supervised work in addition to classroom instruction.
    Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • But with so much of that renewable generating technology also imported from a single country, there is a risk that one strategic geopolitical vulnerability is simply replaced with another.
    Andrew Saunders, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2025
  • At the time, the university didn't offer a single course on Puerto Ricans, Chicanos, Native Americans or Asian Americans, according to the report.
    Gina Lee Castro, jsonline.com, 14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The film offers a child-psychology tip for fiercely independent kids (like Beesha) about learning to accept help from others, plus some none-too-subtle critiques of lying leaders who sow division.
    Peter Debruge, Variety, 14 Oct. 2025
  • Her potential ascension to the budget panel was repeatedly highlighted by her campaign in 2020 as a way to sway Maine's fickle - and often decisive - independent voting bloc.
    NPR, NPR, 14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The performance opened with Hoying singing live, adding a personal touch to the tribute.
    Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Oct. 2025
  • Every personal finance article is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of personal finance products.
    Andreina Rodriguez, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The grand jury that approved the charges against Comey was divided, as 14 of the 23 jurors approved the two counts, just over the necessary 12-vote threshold.
    Jared Gans, The Hill, 8 Oct. 2025
  • It is calculated by dividing the ‘progress’ (the distance the ball travelled towards the opponent’s goal line) by the ‘sequence time’ (the duration of the sequence).
    Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Both women wore their hair parted down the center and in subtle waves that fell past their shoulders.
    Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 14 Oct. 2025
  • Under the trees was dense foliage that occasionally parted to reveal a bird, langur, or cheetal, which reassured him in the stillness of the empty road.
    Hazlitt, Hazlitt, 8 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • What Happens Next FDA inspectors will classify the recall one of three hazard levels, from the lowest risk, Class III, to the highest, Class I.
    News Editor, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
  • Dividing her time between London and Los Angeles, Porras-Kim has historically examined the methods institutions use to classify, conserve, and interpret items in their collections, focusing on objects and forms of knowledge that have been separated from their original contexts.
    News Desk, Artforum, 8 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The tide could be a foot higher than the point where major flooding begins that can produce severe damage to homes and businesses, making some roads impassable and isolating neighborhoods.
    Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 11 Oct. 2025
  • Aid is expected to flow into Gaza, where scenes of devastation and hunger, as well as a famine declaration, have prompted outrage around the world and left Israel isolated diplomatically.
    Yamiche Alcindor, NBC news, 10 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Separate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/separate. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on separate

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!