divisiveness: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Political, Journalistic
Quick answer
What does “divisiveness” mean?
The tendency to cause strong disagreement or disunity among people.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The tendency to cause strong disagreement or disunity among people.
A quality or action that creates conflict or separation within a group, often through the promotion of polarising views or the exploitation of differences.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The word is used identically in both varieties.
Connotations
Equally strong negative connotations in both BrE and AmE, associated with harmful politics, social conflict, and poor leadership.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in AmE political discourse, but common in both. The associated adjective 'divisive' is very high frequency in political contexts in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “divisiveness” in a Sentence
[the/its/her/his] divisiveness (of X)accuse X of divisivenessX is a source of divisivenessX leads to divisivenessX is marked by divisivenessVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “divisiveness” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The new policy threatens to divisively split the community.
American English
- He spoke divisively, pitting one group against another.
adverb
British English
- The leader acted divisively, favouring his own supporters.
American English
- The issue was framed divisively by the media campaign.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Criticising a manager's leadership style for creating a toxic, competitive, or distrustful atmosphere among teams.
Academic
Analysing the social impact of political rhetoric or media narratives in sociology or political science papers.
Everyday
Discussing why a family argument or a neighbourhood dispute is so difficult to resolve.
Technical
Less common. Could be used in organisational psychology or conflict resolution studies.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “divisiveness”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “divisiveness”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “divisiveness”
- Misspelling as 'deviciveness' or 'divisivness'.
- Using it as a synonym for 'diversity'.
- Using it in a positive or neutral context (e.g., 'The team's healthy divisiveness...' – incorrect).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, in standard usage. It describes a harmful quality that damages unity and creates conflict. There is no positive context for genuine divisiveness.
'Division' is the state of being divided or separated (e.g., a division of labour, north-south divide). 'Divisiveness' is the active *tendency or quality* of *causing* such division and discord. A policy can create division; the policy itself possesses divisiveness.
Yes. While most common in politics, it can describe any situation where actions or words create deep rifts: e.g., 'the divisiveness of the CEO's decision to award bonuses selectively,' or 'the divisiveness within the family over the inheritance.'
No. 'Divisiveness' is a noun. The adjective is 'divisive'. You would say 'very divisive' (policies) or 'great/sheer/extreme divisiveness' (the quality itself).
The tendency to cause strong disagreement or disunity among people.
Divisiveness is usually formal, political, journalistic in register.
Divisiveness: in British English it is pronounced /dɪˈvaɪ.sɪv.nəs/, and in American English it is pronounced /dɪˈvaɪ.sɪv.nəs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[to be] a force for divisiveness”
- “politics of divisiveness”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a 'dividing' knife (like a chef's knife) creating '-ness' (a state or quality). The state of being cut into opposing sides.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOCIETY IS A FABRIC/BODY (divisiveness tears the fabric/ruptures the body). POLITICS IS WAR (divisiveness is a weapon/tactic).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'divisiveness' LEAST likely to be used appropriately?