asunder

adverb or adjective

asun·der ə-ˈsən-dər

Synonyms of asunder next

: into parts

torn asunder

: apart from each other

… he staggered away, with his legs very wide asunder.—

Charles Dickens

Did you know?

To get to the root of today’s word, it helps to take it apart and focus on the sunder. You see, asunder comes from the verb sunder, which means "to break apart" or "to become parted, disunited, or severed." Both words come from the Old English word sundor, meaning "apart." The adverbial "into parts" sense of asunder is often used in the phrase "tear asunder," which can be used both literally (as in "fabric torn asunder") and, more often, figuratively (as in "a community torn asunder by the dispute"). The adjectival "apart from each other" sense can be found in the phrase "poles asunder," used to describe two things that are as vastly far apart as the poles of the Earth.

Examples of asunder in a Sentence

the environmental organization was torn asunder by bitter rivalries

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Also, volcanic activity tends to be violent — smashing and scattering objects asunder. —

Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 5 Nov. 2024 There’s just a pervasive sense of loss, of lives torn asunder for no particular reason, and a cast highly adept at delivering these punches. —

EW.com, 26 Sep. 2024 Was there one unified, perfect world before Marika did this evil thing and tore it asunder (another very subtle Bible reference)? —

Kevin Purdy, Ars Technica, 21 May 2024 The republic tore itself asunder over slavery and conflicting views of the federal Union. —

David W. Blight, Foreign Affairs, 8 Dec. 2020 See all Example Sentences for asunder