grounds for divorce
Reasons to separate
Grounds for divorce are the legally recognized reasons that justify ending a marriage.
Historically, proving specific grounds—such as adultery, abandonment, cruelty, or imprisonment—was required before a court would grant a divorce.
Most U.S. states now permit no-fault divorce, where irreconcilable differences or an irretrievable breakdown of the marriage suffices.
She cited his infidelity as grounds for divorce.
The phrase sometimes appears figuratively to describe any serious breach in a relationship.
- adulteryMarried person's sexual betrayal
- filing papersStoring documents systematically
- crueltyDeliberate harm-causing disposition
- incompatibilityUnable to function together
- marital breakdownMarriage falling apart
broken vows · irreconcilable differences · mutual consent · annulment · prenuptial agreement · impotence · abandonment · bigamy · substance abuse · domestic violence · desertion · emotional detachment · mental illness · fraud · legal separation · family court · irretrievable · imprisonment
- divorcedivision of assets, grounds, legal separation, alimony, child support
- marriage lawmarriage contract, marriage certificate, matrimony, marriage license, betrothal
- family lawchild custody, child support, alimony, family court, custody law
- infidelityadultery, affair, adulteress, cheating, cheater
grounds for divorcereconciliation
Restoration of friendly relations
recommitment · forgiveness · second chances · making amends · renewal of vows
grounds for divorcemarital harmony
Peaceful union between spouses
mutual respect · marital bliss · shared values · lasting love