separation
When people or things are moved apart or kept apart and are not together anymore.
The act or state of people or things being moved apart, or being kept apart, so they are no longer together or touching.
When a married couple or partners live in different places for some time, but they are not divorced.
A situation in which a married or long‑term couple decides to live apart, often temporarily or legally recognized, without officially ending the marriage or relationship.
A clear difference or line between two ideas, jobs, or parts of life so they do not mix.
A clear division or distinction between different areas, activities, ideas, or responsibilities so that they do not mix.
A feeling that you are not close to another person in your heart or mind.
A state in which people feel emotionally distant or disconnected from each other, even if they are physically together.
The space between two things that are not close together or touching.
The physical distance or gap that exists between two things that are not touching.
In science, the way to split a mixture into its different parts, like different gases or liquids.
In science and engineering, the process of dividing a mixture into its different components or substances, often using physical or chemical methods.
A formal way to say that someone’s job or service has ended.
The formal ending of a person’s employment or service, especially in official or military contexts.
- Base: separation
- Plural: separation, separations
legal separation
1official arrangement to live apart
A formal court decision that a married couple will live apart but stay married.
- They chose a legal separation instead of divorce for financial reasons.
- During the legal separation, they agreed on how to share child care.
- A legal separation can later be changed into a divorce.
separation agreement
1contract for terms of living apart
A written legal paper that explains money, housing, and child care when a couple lives apart.
- Their lawyer drafted a separation agreement covering child support and property.
- Signing a separation agreement helped reduce conflict during their breakup.
- The judge reviewed the separation agreement before approving it.
separation of concerns
1keeping different responsibilities separate
In programming and planning, the idea that different jobs or tasks should be kept in different parts so each part has one main job.
- Good software design often follows the principle of separation of concerns.
- They reorganized the team to improve separation of concerns between design and testing.
- Separation of concerns makes complex systems easier to understand.
separation of powers
1dividing government power among branches
A political system where different groups, like the courts and the parliament, share power so one group cannot control everything.
- The constitution is built on the separation of powers.
- Critics said the new law threatens the separation of powers.
- Students learned how the separation of powers works in their country.
separation pay
1money given when job ends
Extra money that a worker gets when their job ends, for example after a layoff.
- The company offered generous separation pay to laid‑off employees.
- He used his separation pay to cover expenses while job hunting.
- Workers complained that the separation pay was too low.
trial separation
1temporary living apart for a couple
A time when a couple lives apart for a while to see if they want to stay together or break up.
- They agreed on a six‑month trial separation to think about their marriage.
- A trial separation helped them realize they still wanted to be together.
- The counselor suggested a trial separation instead of an immediate divorce.
separation anxiety
1anxiety when away from loved one
Strong fear or worry when someone, often a child, is away from a parent or another very important person.
- The child experienced separation anxiety on her first day of school.
- The child showed separation anxiety when his mother left the room.
- Dogs can suffer from separation anxiety when left alone.
- Dogs can have separation anxiety if they are left alone for many hours.
- Starting daycare, she struggled with separation anxiety each morning.
separation of church and state
1Independence of government and religion
The idea that the government should not control religion and religion should not control the government.
- The constitution guarantees the separation of church and state.
- Debates about education often involve questions about the separation of church and state.
separation of church and state
2keeping religion and government separate
The idea that government and religious groups should be independent and not control each other.
- Many people see the separation of church and state as essential to a free society.
- The new law has raised questions about the country’s separation of church and state.
- They argued that funding the religious school breaks the separation of church and state.