Definition

Verb (transitive) To maintain a physical or social separation between people or things; to isolate or set something aside from others.

Usage

The verb "keep apart" describes the deliberate action of preventing two or more entities from being together or mixing. It often implies an active, ongoing effort to maintain separation.

Examples

• The teacher had to keep the two arguing students apart during recess.
• It is important to keep apart the raw meat and the vegetables to avoid cross-contamination.
• Their political differences kept them apart for many years.

Advanced Usage

• "keep oneself apart": To choose to remain isolated or aloof from a group.
  • At the party, he preferred to keep himself apart from the crowd.

Variants and Related Words

• Separate (verb): To cause to move or be apart.
• Isolate (verb): To place or set apart from others.
• Seclude (verb): To keep (someone) away from other people.
• Segregate (verb): To set apart from the rest or from each other.

Synonyms

Set apart, separate, isolate, sequester, divide, partition.

Antonyms

Combine, unite, join, merge, integrate.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Keep away: To maintain a distance, often for safety.
  • Please keep away from the edge of the cliff.
• Keep out: To prevent from entering.
  • A fence keeps out unwanted animals.

Related Idioms

• Keep at arm's length: To avoid becoming too friendly or close with someone.
  • She keeps her colleagues at arm's length.

Verb

1. set apart from others
   • The dentist sequesters the tooth he is working on