# dividing

/dɪˈvaɪdɪŋ/ (US) · /dɪvˈaɪdɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/dividing
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. splitting into parts

verb · CEFR A2

splitting one thing into two or more smaller parts.

For teachers: separating a whole into constituent parts or distinct groups.

- They are dividing the large cake into ten equal slices for the party.
- The researchers are dividing the participants into three distinct cohorts based on their previous exposure to the language.

Usage: Often used with the preposition 'into'.

### 2. sharing or distributing

verb · CEFR B1

giving parts of something to different people.

For teachers: distributing portions of a resource among several recipients.

- The children were dividing the toys among themselves so everyone could play.
- The committee spent the afternoon dividing the remaining budget among the various community projects.

Usage: Commonly followed by 'between' (for two) or 'among' (for more than two).

### 3. mathematical calculation

verb · CEFR A2

calculating how many times one number fits into another.

For teachers: performing the mathematical operation of division.

- Dividing twenty by four gives you five.
- When dividing large numbers without a calculator, many students prefer using the long division method.

Usage: Usually takes the preposition 'by'.

### 4. serving to separate

adjective · CEFR B2

describing something that acts as a border or wall between two things.

For teachers: functioning as a partition or boundary between two areas or entities.

- The dividing wall between the two gardens was covered in green plants.
- The river serves as a natural dividing line between the two warring provinces.

Usage: Almost always placed immediately before the noun it modifies.

### 5. an act of separation

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

the act of separating things or people into groups.

For teachers: the process or instance of creating a partition or distribution.

- The dividing of the land took many months to complete.
- The sudden dividing of the company into smaller units caused significant confusion among the long-term employees.

## Examples

- We are dividing the cake into eight equal slices.
- The teacher is dividing the students into small groups for the afternoon science project.
- The river serves as a natural border, effectively dividing the northern industrial districts from the southern residential suburbs.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.