sever
To cut something completely in two or break it off.
sever in a sentence
- One snip of the scissors severed the ribbon and the little boat slid into the water.
- The captain had to sever the tangled rope with one clean cut to free the sail.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to sever?
- Amend
- Battach
- Ccut
- Djoin
Show the answer
C: cut. The other three mean the opposite of sever.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to sever?
- Acut
- Bsplit
- Cjoin
- Dbreak
Show the answer
C: join. The other three mean nearly the same as sever.
Words that mean something similar
cut, split, break
Words that mean the opposite
join, mend, attach
More words about movement & action
- shudder: To shake suddenly because you are cold, scared or disgusted; or that sudden shake.
- simmer: To cook gently with small bubbles, or to be quietly full of anger.
- skirmish: A short small fight between two groups.
- sluggish: Moving slowly and without energy.
- snare: A trap for catching animals, or to catch something in a trap.
- stealthy: Moving quietly and secretly so nobody notices you.
- stifle: To stop something from coming out, such as a laugh or a yawn.
- stoop: To bend your body forwards and downwards.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test