divisive

adjective

di·​vi·​sive də-ˈvī-siv How to pronounce divisive (audio)
also
-ˈvi- How to pronounce divisive (audio)
 or  -ziv
: creating disunity or dissension
a divisive issue
divisive rhetoric
divisively adverb
divisiveness noun

Examples of divisive in a Sentence

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.
The policy proposals have proved divisive, and the president's critics and supporters alike have debated their influence on him. — Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 June 2025 Watermelon is a divisive flavor in the junk food world. — Pete Cottell, Wired News, 12 June 2025 Buenos Aires Reuters — Argentina’s top court effectively banned two-term former President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner from office and upheld a six-year jail sentence, likely drawing a curtain on one of the country’s most flamboyant and divisive political careers. — Reuters, CNN Money, 10 June 2025 Such decisions, by both the left and right, are inherently political and divisive. — U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for divisive

Word History

First Known Use

1642, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of divisive was in 1642

Rhymes for divisive

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Browse Nearby Words

division wall
divisive
divisor
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Cite this Entry

“Divisive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/divisive. Accessed 15 Jun. 2025.

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Nglish: Translation of divisive for Spanish Speakers

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