sunder

C2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈsʌndɚ/ UK /ˈsʌndə/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like thunder /θ/ vs /s/

Freq #30375

Meanings

1

verb
literary: to split, sever, or force apart

The impact threatened to sunder the wooden gate from its hinges.
2

verb
literary: to separate people, places, or relationships

Years of conflict began to sunder the former allies.
3

noun
archaic: a separation or division, especially in the phrase in sunder

The axe struck the board and split it in sunder.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · literary: to split, sever,... sever split rend divide

2 verb · literary: to separate... separate part divide alienate

3 noun · archaic: a separation or... separation division severance

Opposites

join unite bind reconcile

Word family

Forms sunderedsundersunsundered

Derived forms asundersunderance

Related forms sundry sever separation

Etymology

From Middle English sunder and Old English sundor, 'apart or separately,' from a Germanic word also represented by German sonder- and Old Norse sundr. The older adverb and adjective senses gave rise to the verb 'separate' and the rare noun for a division.

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# sunder

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈsʌndɚ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈsʌndə/
**Frequency rank:** 30375

## Meanings
1. literary: to split, sever, or force apart
2. literary: to separate people, places, or relationships
3. archaic: a separation or division, especially in the phrase in sunder

## Examples
- The impact threatened to sunder the wooden gate from its hinges.
- Years of conflict began to sunder the former allies.
- The axe struck the board and split it in sunder.

## Synonyms
- sever
- split
- rend
- divide
- separate
- part

## Antonyms
- join
- unite
- bind
- reconcile

## Derived Forms
- asunder
- sunderance

## Related Forms
- sundry
- sever
- separation

## Etymology
From Middle English sunder and Old English sundor, 'apart or separately,' from a Germanic word also represented by German sonder- and Old Norse sundr. The older adverb and adjective senses gave rise to the verb 'separate' and the rare noun for a division.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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