divestiture

noun

di·​ves·​ti·​ture dī-ˈve-stə-ˌchu̇r How to pronounce divestiture (audio)
-chər,
də-,
 chiefly Southern  -t(y)u̇(ə)r
1
: the act of divesting
2
: the compulsory transfer of title or disposal of interests (such as stock in a corporation) upon government order

Examples of divestiture in a Sentence

Divestitures are used to break up monopolies. Before divestiture, the telephone company monopolized the state.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The filing also discusses the divestiture of the GVB hemp/cannabis business, which was completed on December 22, 2023. — Quartz Intelligence Newsroom, Quartz, 20 Mar. 2025 Sacks, as a special government employee, was not eligible for tax breaks on his divestitures. — Dan Primack, Axios, 14 Mar. 2025 The divestiture of Google Chrome is among remedies sought by the Justice Department's antitrust division in a proposal filed Friday, signed by acting assistant attorney general Omeed Assefi, all part of a suit initiated in 2020. — Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 12 Mar. 2025 When excluding the divestiture, the company said, full-year revenue declined 7%. — Russell Leung, CNBC, 20 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for divestiture

Word History

Etymology

divest + -iture (as in investiture)

First Known Use

1601, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of divestiture was in 1601

Rhymes for divestiture

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Browse Nearby Words

divestitive
divestiture
divest of
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Cite this Entry

“Divestiture.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/divestiture. Accessed 26 Mar. 2025.

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Legal Definition

divestiture

noun
di·​ves·​ti·​ture dī-ˈves-ti-ˌchu̇r, də-, -chər How to pronounce divestiture (audio)
1
: the sale or transfer of title to a property (as an operating division) under court order (as in bankruptcy)
2
: the sale of an asset (as a business division) that is unprofitable, does not enhance a corporate restructuring, or is felt to be morally reprehensible
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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