Word
asunder
Phoneticsasun·der
US/əˈsəndɝ/
UK/ɐsˈʌndɐ/
Definition
adv. apart or broken into separate pieces. You use it when something is torn or pulled into two parts.
adv. apart into separate pieces, typically by force or tearing. Survives chiefly in literary use and fixed expressions such as 'tear asunder'.
Examples
“The storm tears the old roof asunder.”
“The divorce lawyers watch as years of shared plans are torn asunder in a single afternoon.”
“After the earthquake, the once-unbroken road lay asunder, its cracked halves hinting at how quickly familiar ground can split.”
Examples
simple
“The storm tears the old roof asunder.”
contextual
“The divorce lawyers watch as years of shared plans are torn asunder in a single afternoon.”
complex
“After the earthquake, the once-unbroken road lay asunder, its cracked halves hinting at how quickly familiar ground can split.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “asunder” in context.
Verb
01. burst asunder
“The pressurised pipe burst asunder with a deafening roar.”
verb + adverb
02. fall asunder
“Without strong leadership, the alliance fell asunder.”
verb + adverb
03. pull asunder
“Wild horses could not pull the planks asunder.”
verb + adverb
04. rend asunder
“The storm seemed to rend the sails asunder.”
verb + adverb
05. rip asunder
“The explosion ripped the hull asunder.”
verb + adverb
06. split asunder
“Lightning split the ancient oak asunder.”
verb + adverb
07. tear asunder
“War threatened to tear the nation asunder.”
verb + adverb
Adjective
08. wide asunder
“The heavy gates lay wide asunder after the blast.”
adv + adv
09. blown asunder by explosion
“The wooden shed was blown asunder by the explosion.”
10. let no man put asunder
“What God has joined together, let no man put asunder.”
11. torn asunder by war
“Entire communities were torn asunder by war and exile.”
12. world torn asunder
“The novel depicts a world torn asunder by civil conflict.”
Usage
Typically follows verbs of breaking, tearing, or dividing, as in 'tear asunder'.
Etymology
From Middle English asunder, asondre, onsunder, on sondre, from Old English asundran, onsundrum (“asunder, apart, privately”), from Proto-Germanic sunder, sundraz. Equivalent to a- + sunder. Cognate with Danish sønder, Swedish sönder, Dutch zonder, German sonder, Icelandic sundur, Faroese sundur and Norwegian sunder/sønder; akin to Gothic 𐍃𐌿𐌽𐌳𐍂𐍉 (sundrō).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C2 ProficiencyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.8.5–9.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 6.0114–120
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C2 · Proficiency
- Updated
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