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asunder — Into separate pieces or parts; apart, especially by force or violence

Part of speech: ADVERB

Definition: Into separate pieces or parts; apart, especially by force or violence

Pronunciation (IPA): /əˈsʌndər/

Example Sentences

  • My New Year's resolution was torn asunder by a single piece of chocolate cake.
  • The wedding vow says 'let no man put asunder,' but my roommate and I put our friendship asunder over unwashed dishes.
  • The earthquake split the highway asunder, leaving a massive crack across the road.

asunder

ADVERB

[/əˈsʌndər/]

Into separate pieces or parts; apart, especially by force or violence

The old wooden bridge was torn asunder by the raging flood.
💡 Concept

The old wooden bridge was torn asunder by the raging flood.

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🎤Pronunciation

🇺🇸 US/əˈsʌndər/
🇬🇧 UK/əˈsʌndə/

🌳Etymology

Prefixa--
Rootsunder

Origin

From Old English 'on sundran', a compound of 'on' (in, into) and 'sundran' (to separate, divide). The word shares its etymological root with the verb 'sunder' (to part, sever), and over time 'on sundran' was contracted into the single word 'asunder'.

Breakdown

on- (in, into) + sunder (to separate, divide, from Old English sundran). The adverbial formation 'on sundran' gradually fused into 'asunder', maintaining the sense of separation or division.

🎵Rhyme

thunder
wonder
under
plunder

🔗Collocations

torn asunder
tear something asunder
split asunder
rent asunder
break asunder
cut asunder
families asunder

📝Examples

😄 Fun example

“My New Year's resolution was torn asunder by a single piece of chocolate cake.”

😄 Fun example

“The wedding vow says 'let no man put asunder,' but my roommate and I put our friendship asunder over unwashed dishes.”

“The earthquake split the highway asunder, leaving a massive crack across the road.”

“The civil war tore the country asunder, dividing families for generations.”

😄 Fun example

“His terrible joke was so bad it nearly tore the meeting room asunder with awkward silence.”

📚Related Words

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