divest
/daɪˈvest/ IELTSAcademic
verb
To remove ownership, control, or money from something or someone. In business, it often means selling assets or shares. It can also mean getting rid of a quality or feature.
- The company plans to divest its transport division.
- The fund divested from fossil fuels.
- She tried to divest herself of fear.
Adinary Nuance
Divest is more formal than words like “sell” or “remove.” In business and academic writing, it often means selling off assets or investments. It can also mean “free from” in phrases like “divest oneself of guilt,” which is less common in speech.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- thoái vốn
- Spanish
- desinvertir
- Chinese
- 剥离
- Japanese
- 売却する
- Korean
- 매각하다
Etymology
Divest comes from Latin divestire, meaning “to undress” or “strip off.” It entered English through French in the late Middle Ages, and the idea of “stripping away” still shapes its meaning.
Common phrases
divest assetsdivest from fossil fuelsdivest oneself of somethingdivest a company
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is divest formal or informal?
- It is formal. You will see it often in business, finance, and academic writing.
- What is the difference between divest and sell?
- Sell is general. Divest is more formal and often means selling part of a business or investment.
- Can I use divest in everyday English?
- Yes, but it sounds more written than spoken. People usually choose simpler words like sell or get rid of.
- What does divest oneself of mean?
- It means to get rid of something, often a feeling, habit, or quality.