Definition

1. Adverb:
   • Into parts or pieces; apart: Describes something being separated, divided, or torn into distinct pieces or sections, often with force or violence.
   • Widely separated, especially in space: Describes things positioned far apart from each other.

Usage

• Asunder is a formal or literary word. It is typically used to describe a forceful or complete separation, often of something that was once whole.
• It commonly follows verbs like , , , , , , , or .
• It can describe both physical separation (into pieces) and metaphorical separation (e.g., of people, families, or ideas).

Examples

• Adverb:
  • The explosion tore the building asunder. (The explosion separated the building into pieces.)
  • The civil war tore the nation asunder. (The civil war divided the nation completely.)
  • The old ship was split asunder by the storm. (The storm broke the old ship apart.)
  • Their views on the matter are poles asunder. (Their opinions on this issue are completely different/widely separated.)

Advanced Usage

• "to fall asunder": to fall apart, to disintegrate.
  • Without trust, the agreement will fall asunder.
• "to break asunder": to break apart, to shatter.
  • The chains broke asunder with a loud crack.
• "to be torn asunder": to be violently ripped apart (used both literally and figuratively).
  • Families were torn asunder by the conflict.

Variants and Related Words

• Apart (adverb): Into pieces or parts; separated by a distance. (A more common synonym.)
• Sunder (verb, archaic): To split apart. (This is the root verb from which "asunder" is derived.)

Synonyms

• Apart
• Into pieces
• To shreds
• To bits

Related Phrases

• "Poles asunder": An idiom meaning "completely opposite" or "widely different." It is a variant of "poles apart."
  • Their political ideologies are poles asunder.

Adjective

1. widely separated especially in space
   • as wide asunder as pole from pole

Adverb

1. into parts or pieces
   • he took his father's watch apart
   • split apart
   • torn asunder