WordGarden.ioseparate
A2Pronunciation
UK
US
- /ˈsɛpərˌeɪt/
Meanings
Adjective
not joined or kept together; apart from something else
different or treated as an individual unit rather than combined or shared
Verb
to divide, sort, or keep one thing apart from another
to end a close relationship or stop living together as a couple
Beyond the definition
To separate means to move things apart or keep them apart. You might separate white clothes from colored clothes before doing laundry, or a couple might separate if they decide to stop living together. It can also mean to tell things apart, like separating fact from fiction. Think of it as making a clear space or difference between things.
Sometimes "separate" is about physical space, like when you separate an egg into yolk and white. Other times, it's more abstract, like when you separate your work life from your personal life. A detective might try to separate the key clues from a pile of unhelpful information. If you separate yourself from bad influences, that means you create distance from people who are not good for you.
The word "separate" carries a lot of weight—it's about creating division or distinction. At its most basic, to separate something is to cause it to move apart, whether physically or figuratively. Imagine building with LEGO bricks; you might separate the red ones from the blue ones to build different structures. Or think about a road trip where friends separate at their destinations, each going their own way.
But "separate" isn't always about things moving apart. It can also mean to distinguish between things—to identify what makes them different. A scientist might separate the components of a chemical compound to study them individually. Or you might separate truth from falsehood in a news story, carefully analyzing the information presented.
The context is key! "Separate" can describe the end of living together in a relationship ("They decided to separate"), a physical barrier ("A fence separated the two properties"), or even an act of discrimination ("Separate but equal" was a deeply unjust legal idea). It can also be used as an adjective, meaning distinct or different: "separate bedrooms," "separate occasions."
So whether it's about creating distance, identifying differences, or simply acknowledging that things are not connected, "separate" is a versatile word that speaks to the idea of division and distinction.
Examples
- 1
Laundry
Keep the white clothes separate from the dark ones when you wash them.
- 2
Room layout
The kitchen is separate from the living room.
- 3
Classroom groups
The teacher separated the class into two groups for the game.
- Patternseparate into + parts/groups
divide into parts or groups
- 4
Online judgment
It's not always easy to separate fact from opinion online.
- Patternseparate A from B
see them as different
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Time apart
The twins had never been separated before that summer.
- 6
Relationship
My parents separated when I was in middle school.
- 7
Hotel rooms
We booked separate rooms because the kids wanted more space.
- 8
Meeting topic
That's a separate issue, so let's discuss it later.
- Phraseseparate issue
a different topic, not the main one
- 9
Restaurant bill
Can we get separate checks, please?
- Domainin a restaurant, separate checks
each person pays for their own meal
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
Contrast
Do not confuse
- seperate
Used with (collocations)
- separate rooms
- separate issue
- separate account
Word family
Explore
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- separateverbadjectivenoun
Forms
- separatedpast tenseverbadjectivenoun
- separating-ing formverbadjectivenoun
- separatesverbadjectivenoun