past form and past participle
Separated something into smaller parts or groups, or shared it among people.
/dɪˈvaɪ.ɾɪd̚/Common pronunciation
The manager divided the work among three employees.
The cake was divided into eight pieces.
American English
How to pronounce divided
verb · adjectiveB1Common word
dihVAIduhd
/dɪˈvaɪ.ɾəd̚/
3 syllables · Stress the second syllable.
Form of divide
Divided is both the past form and the past participle of divide. As an adjective, it often appears with on or over.
Separated something into smaller parts or groups, or shared it among people.
What to listen for
In “divided,” the last syllable is short and unstressed: /dɪˈvaɪ.ɾɪd̚/. In natural speech, its vowel may sound closer to /ə/.
Meanings & examples
adjective
Separated into smaller parts or groups.
We drove along a divided highway.
A divided highway has separate lanes for traffic going in opposite directions.
past form and past participle
Calculated how many times one number goes into another.
/dɪˈvaɪ.ɾɪd̚/Common pronunciation
The teacher divided 24 by 6.
The total was divided by 4.
Good to know
For math, say “divided by,” not “divided to.”
past form and past participle
Caused people to disagree or support different sides.
/dɪˈvaɪ.ɾɪd̚/Common pronunciation
The controversial decision divided the town.
The debate divided the committee members.
Useful expressions
to control a group by making its members disagree with one another
The general used divide and conquer to defeat the larger army.
to reduce a serious difference between people or groups
The two leaders met to bridge the divide.
Related words & forms
The final e disappears before -ing: dividing, not divideing.