separation
noun
sep·a·ra·tion
ËŒse-pÉ™-ˈrÄ-shÉ™n 
1
: the act or process of separating : the state of being separated
2
a
: a point, line, or means of division
b
: an intervening space : gap
the separation between wheel spokes
3
a
: cessation of cohabitation between a married couple by mutual agreement or judicial decree
b
: termination of a contractual relationship (such as employment or military service)
Examples of separation in a Sentence
After a separation of 30 years, she visited her family in Cuba.
Moving away meant separation from his family.
Recent Examples on the Web
Much has been written regarding the influence of no-fault divorce on the novel—how the dramas of desire and commitment must be revised in the lower-stakes world of legal separation.
—
Christine Smallwood, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
The membrane could also enable selective separation of ions with the same electric charge by exploiting subtle differences in how ions behave under an electric field.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 23 Mar. 2026
Emmanuel, who served for two years in the Obama administration and was a policy advisor to President Bill Clinton, told the outlet that government employees must have clear lines of separation between government and betting.
—Terry Collins, USA Today, 23 Mar. 2026
The NewFronts, which have traditionally been held later in the spring, moved earlier this year to create more separation from the upfronts, which are now a blended three days of linear and streaming showcases by major media companies as well as tech giants Amazon, Netflix and YouTube.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for separation
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Christine Smallwood, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
The membrane could also enable selective separation of ions with the same electric charge by exploiting subtle differences in how ions behave under an electric field.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 23 Mar. 2026
Emmanuel, who served for two years in the Obama administration and was a policy advisor to President Bill Clinton, told the outlet that government employees must have clear lines of separation between government and betting.
—Terry Collins, USA Today, 23 Mar. 2026
The NewFronts, which have traditionally been held later in the spring, moved earlier this year to create more separation from the upfronts, which are now a blended three days of linear and streaming showcases by major media companies as well as tech giants Amazon, Netflix and YouTube.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for separation
Cite this Entry
“Separation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/separation. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
separation
noun
sep·a·ra·tion
ËŒsep-É™-ˈrÄ-shÉ™n
1
: the act or process of separating : the state of being separated
2
a
: a point or line of division
b
: a space that comes between things : gap
the separation between wheel spokes
3
a
: a formal separating of spouses by agreement but without divorce
b
: the ending of a relationship that is bound by a contract (as employment or military service)
Medical Definition
separation
noun
sep·a·ra·tion
ËŒsep-É™-ˈrÄ-shÉ™n
1
: the process of isolating or extracting from or of becoming isolated from a mixture
also
: the resulting state
2
Legal Definition
separation
noun
sep·a·ra·tion
ËŒse-pÉ™-ˈrÄ-shÉ™n
1
: cessation of cohabitation between a married couple by mutual agreement with intent that it be permanent
also
: legal separation compare divorce
Note: In some cases in which the estrangement is extreme, a separation is considered to have occurred even when the couple retain the same residence if they have stopped communicating and engaging in sexual relations and intend to be separated.
2
: termination of a contractual relationship (as employment or military service)
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