# halve

/ˈhæv/ (US) · /hˈɑːv/ (UK) · CEFR B1 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/halve
Updated: 2026-10-18

## Definition

to cut or divide something into two equal parts, or to make something half as big as before. You use it when you talk about reducing a number or amount by half.

For teachers: to divide into two equal parts; to reduce to half the original size, number, or amount.

## Examples

- I halve the apple for my two kids.
- The cook halves the recipe to make dinner for two instead of four.
- The council voted to halve funding for the new bridge, forcing architects to redesign the project with cheaper materials.

## Antonyms

double

## Pitfalls

- Not "I want to half the cake" but "I want to halve the cake" — Half is the noun form; halve is the verb — learners often use the noun spelling for the verb.

## Usage notes

- Transitive; takes a direct object naming the thing divided or reduced.

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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.