divorce
B2Formal, legal, and common in general use.
Definition
Meaning
The legal dissolution of a marriage by a court or other competent body.
A formal separation or ending of a close relationship, partnership, or connection.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a countable noun for the event/process, but also a verb and less commonly an adjective. Carries legal, personal, and social weight.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minor spelling: 'divorced' is adjective; 'to divorce' is verb in both. Usage patterns similar. The legal phrasing 'to get divorced' or 'to divorce someone' is standard in both.
Connotations
Equally formal and carries similar social weight in both dialects.
Frequency
Commonly used in both; no significant frequency difference.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
divorce somebody (transitive verb)be/get divorced (intransitive or adjectival)the divorce of X and Y (noun)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “a divorce from reality”
- “a divorce between thought and action”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used metaphorically: 'a divorce between management and staff' meaning a disconnect.
Academic
Studied in sociology, law, and psychology; refers to marital dissolution statistics and effects.
Everyday
Commonly used to discuss personal relationships and legal status.
Technical
Specific legal term with defined procedures and consequences (e.g., 'no-fault divorce').
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- She decided to divorce him after ten years of marriage.
- They divorced last year.
American English
- He plans to divorce his wife and move to another state.
- They divorced amicably.
adverb
British English
- Not commonly used as an adverb. 'Divorcedly' is extremely rare and non-standard.
American English
- No standard adverbial form.
adjective
British English
- She is a divorcee living in London.
- The divorce rate has remained stable.
American English
- He's dating a divorced father of two.
- Divorce laws vary by state.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My parents are divorced.
- Their divorce was in the newspaper.
- They got a divorce because they were unhappy.
- She hired a lawyer for the divorce.
- The lengthy divorce proceedings drained them both emotionally and financially.
- He struggled to come to terms with his parents' acrimonious divorce.
- The novel explores the protagonist's psychological divorce from the values of her upbringing.
- The company's divorce from its traditional manufacturing base proved to be a disastrous strategic error.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
DIVORCE: Division Of Vows, Official Release, Contract Ends.
Conceptual Metaphor
DIVORCE IS A CUT/CLEAN BREAK (e.g., sever ties, cut loose).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque of Russian 'развод' for non-marriage contexts. In English, it's primarily marital. For business 'развод', use 'scam' or 'fraud'.
- In English, 'to divorce' is the verb; Russian speakers might incorrectly use noun forms as verbs.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'divorce' as an uncountable noun (*'She got divorce'). Correct: 'She got a divorce.'
- Incorrect preposition: *'They divorced with each other.' Correct: 'They divorced.' or 'They got divorced.'
Practice
Quiz
Which phrase uses 'divorce' correctly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Usually countable: 'get a divorce', 'go through a divorce'. Uncountable when referring to the concept generally: 'Divorce is common.'
'Separation' is often a preliminary stage where a couple lives apart; 'divorce' is the final legal termination of the marriage.
Yes, but it's metaphorical and formal: e.g., 'a divorce between words and actions.' For everyday non-marriage splits, 'breakup' or 'split' is more common.
As a verb: 'divorce someone', 'be divorced from someone'. As a noun: 'divorce from reality', 'divorce between X and Y'.
Collections
Part of a collection
Relationships
B1 · 49 words · Vocabulary for interpersonal and social connections.
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