undivided
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /ʌndɪvˈaɪdɪd/
US
- /ˌəndəˈvaɪdɪd/
Description
- complete
- whole
- not split
Imagine a perfect circle: unbroken and complete. That's the feeling behind "undivided." It means something stays whole, or it is given fully to one person or thing. You might give someone your undivided attention, meaning you are listening fully and not getting distracted. A kingdom could be described as undivided if it has not been split into smaller parts. Think about loyalty too: undivided loyalty is full and steady. It is a strong word for wholeness, focus, and not being split.
"Undivided" describes something that is whole, complete, and not separated or shared. It suggests a state of unity, concentration, or unbrokenness. The "un-" prefix means "not," so undivided literally means "not divided."
You might describe attention as undivided when someone is fully focused on a task or person: "The student gave the teacher her undivided attention." This implies complete focus without outside distraction. Historically, the word was also used in political contexts to describe kingdoms or territories that had not been split into separate parts, as in an undivided empire.
But "undivided" is not limited to physical things. It often refers to abstract ideas like loyalty, support, or affection. Undivided loyalty means complete commitment to one cause or person, and undivided support means full backing. In a legal or financial sense, an undivided interest refers to a shared right in an entire property rather than ownership of one exact piece of it.
Whether describing a physical entity, a state of mind, or a level of commitment, undivided signifies wholeness and a lack of separation—a concept that speaks to the power of unity and focus.
Examples
- 1
Full attention
For the next ten minutes, the speaker had the audience's undivided attention.
- 2
Team support
Even after the scandal, the coach still had the team's undivided support.
- 3
Military loyalty
In those days, soldiers were expected to show undivided loyalty to the king.
- 4
Border change
Before the border was redrawn, it was still one undivided region.
Forms and spellings
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Main spelling
- undividedadjective