Word
divestment
Phoneticsdi·vest·ment, stress on the second syllable
US/daɪˈvɛsmənt/
UK/daɪvˈɛstmənt/
Countable & uncountable
Definition
n. selling investments, property, or parts of a business that you own, often for financial or political reasons.
n. the sale or disposal of assets, subsidiaries, or investments, often to improve financial performance, reduce debt, or achieve ethical or political objectives.
Examples
“The company plans a divestment of its old factories.”
“The university announced the divestment of its fossil fuel shares after student protests.”
“After years of pressure from activists, the pension fund completed its divestment from tobacco holdings, accepting short-term losses to align its portfolio with long-term ethical commitments.”
Examples
simple
“The company plans a divestment of its old factories.”
contextual
“The university announced the divestment of its fossil fuel shares after student protests.”
complex
“After years of pressure from activists, the pension fund completed its divestment from tobacco holdings, accepting short-term losses to align its portfolio with long-term ethical commitments.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “divestment” in context.
Verb
01. announce divestment
“The company announced divestment of its loss-making retail division.”
verb + noun
02. approve divestment
“Shareholders approved divestment of the mining subsidiary.”
verb + noun
03. call for divestment
“Student groups called for divestment from arms manufacturers.”
verb + prep + noun
04. campaign for divestment
“NGOs campaigned for divestment from deforestation-linked firms.”
verb + prep + noun
05. demand divestment
“Activists demanded divestment from fossil fuel companies.”
verb + noun
06. finalize divestment
“The bank finalized divestment of its Russian operations last year.”
verb + noun
Adjective
07. complete divestment
“The fund promised a complete divestment from tobacco stocks.”
adj + noun
08. corporate divestment
“The report analyses recent trends in corporate divestment across Europe.”
adj + noun
09. announce a strategic divestment
“The retailer announced a strategic divestment of its European stores.”
10. call for fossil-fuel divestment
“Universities face growing calls for fossil-fuel divestment.”
11. complete the divestment of
“They completed the divestment of their stake in the oil field.”
12. divestment of non-core assets
“The divestment of non-core assets improved the balance sheet.”
Usage
Often followed by 'of' or 'from' to specify the asset sold.
Real-World Examples
“At the same time, US businesses have been selling or closing their investments in Spain, and overall foreign divestments from Spain have surged.” “The Swiss National Bank has sold its stake in Anglo-Australian miner Rio Tinto (RIO.AX), (RIO.L), adding to a series of recent divestments from companies in extractive industries, LSEG data shows.” “Last week, Norway's wealth fund, which is the largest globally and managed by the central bank of Norway, announced its divestment from Caterpillar on ethical grounds.” Word family
VERB
NOUN
Domain
- 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.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL 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: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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