divorceverb
third-person singular divorces past tense divorced past participle divorced present participle divorcing
end a marriageend a marriage by law
transitive or intransitive [T/I] verb + object [V + obj]
- They divorced after ten years of marriage.
- She divorced her husband and moved back to the city. V + obj
- My parents got divorced when I was six. (get divorced)
Antonyms marry
Compare separate (a couple who separate stop living together but may still be married)
keep aparttreat two things as completely separate
transitive [T] verb + object + preposition + object [V + obj + prep + obj] usually passive [usually passive] formal
- It is hard to divorce his music from his life. V + obj + prep + obj
- Their plans seemed divorced from reality. usually passive (passive)
Synonyms separate
Word family
- divorce
- divorced
- divorcee
Usage
In everyday speech get divorced is more common than divorce alone (they got divorced last year). Divorce someone names the husband or wife: she divorced him.