separating
Creating space between
Separating is the act of moving things apart or creating distance between them.
You separate items when sorting, separate combatants in a fight, or separate egg whites from yolks.
Separating can describe the end of a relationship: They're separating after ten years of marriage.
A separating wall divides spaces; separating forces push things apart.
Breaking an established link
- unfasteningOpening what was secured
- uncouplingAct of disconnecting
- unlinkingSevering a connection
- disengagingReleasing from attachment
releasing · loosening · freeing · removing · extricating · disentangling · dismounting · unhooking
Dividing into parts
- partitioningDividing into sections
- bisectingDividing into two equal parts
- halvingDividing into two
- cleavingDividing by cutting
bifurcating · sectioning · segmenting · subdividing · fracturing · rupturing · branching · forking
Emotional separation between people
- alienationState of being isolated
- distancingCreating space or separation
- driftingMoving without purpose
- partingAct of leaving another
breaking · divorce · rupture · rift · schism · detachment · withdrawal · disengagement
Selective passage of elements
- sievingFiltering through mesh
- strainingExerting intense effort
- screeningEvaluative selection process
- winnowingSeparating grain from chaff
sorting · refining · purifying · grading · bolting · riddling · panning · culling
Barrier separating spaces
- barrierObstruction preventing passage
- dividerThing that partitions
- fenceBoundary structure between properties
- wallVertical enclosing structure
border · screen · curtain · membrane · threshold · demarcation · perimeter · buffer
Arranging into sequence
- categorizingAssigning to groups
- groupingArrangement by shared traits
- organizingSystematically putting in order
- arrangingSystematically positioning elements
taxonomy · systematizing · indexing · labeling · codifying · distinguishing · differentiating · segregating
Restricting contact during illness
- sequesteringRemoving from general access
- secludingRemoving from contact
- insulatingPreventing heat or electricity passage
- segregatingSeparating by category
cordoning · confining · cocooning · shielding · buffering · protecting · distancing · removing
disconnecting
Breaking an established link
- unfasteningOpening what was secured
- uncouplingAct of disconnecting
- unlinkingSevering a connection
disengaging · releasing · loosening · freeing · removing · extricating · disentangling · dismounting · unhooking · unbuckling
splitting
Dividing into parts
- partitioningDividing into sections
- bisectingDividing into two equal parts
- halvingDividing into two
cleaving · bifurcating · sectioning · segmenting · subdividing · fracturing · rupturing · branching · forking · diverging
estrangement
Emotional separation between people
- alienationState of being isolated
- distancingCreating space or separation
- driftingMoving without purpose
parting · breaking · divorce · rupture · rift · schism · detachment · withdrawal · disengagement · growing
filtering
Selective passage of elements
winnowing · sorting · refining · purifying · grading · bolting · riddling · panning · culling · selecting
partition
Barrier separating spaces
- barrierObstruction preventing passage
- dividerThing that partitions
- fenceBoundary structure between properties
wall · border · screen · curtain · membrane · threshold · demarcation · perimeter · buffer · interface
sorting
Arranging into sequence
- categorizingAssigning to groups
- groupingArrangement by shared traits
- organizingSystematically putting in order
arranging · taxonomy · systematizing · indexing · labeling · codifying · distinguishing · differentiating · segregating · grading
quarantining
Restricting contact during illness
- sequesteringRemoving from general access
- secludingRemoving from contact
- insulatingPreventing heat or electricity passage
segregating · cordoning · confining · cocooning · shielding · buffering · protecting · distancing · removing · extracting
- separatingdetaching, disconnecting, dividing, splitting, severing
- sorting activitiesalphabetizing, filing, categorizing, binning, grading
- divergingforking, splitting, branching, parting, spreading
- disassemblydismantling, teardown, detaching, unfastening, taking apart
- dividing thingssplitting, sectioning, slicing, dicing, breaking up
- isolation typesisolation, quarantine, lockdown, seclusion, confinement
separatingjoining
Linking into one
connecting · attaching · converging · merging · uniting
separatingunifying
Making disparate elements one
integrating · uniting · combining · merging · consolidating
separatingreuniting
Coming back together
reunion · reconciling · associating · connecting · uniting
- legal separationFormal marital split, not dissolution
- separation anxietyDistress from being apart
- trial separationTemporary marital distance
- degree of separationLinks between two people
- separation of church and stateConstitutional religious neutrality principle
- family separationKin kept apart