1 B1 neutral
Of a piece or fragment, to become detached from a larger whole
"A large chunk of ice had split off from the glacier and drifted into the sea."
inseparable
split off
B2 neutral separable transitive/intransitive
To separate or become detached from a larger group, organization, or object
In plain English
When one part breaks away and becomes separate from a bigger thing
What does "split off" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 neutral
Of a group or organization, to separate and become independent from a larger body
"A group of progressive members split off from the main party to form their own movement."
inseparable
3 B2 neutral
To separate a part of something (such as a business unit) deliberately
"The company split off its retail division and listed it on the stock exchange."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To split away and off from a main body — mostly transparent
Actually means
When one part breaks away and becomes separate from a bigger thing
Usage tip
Used for physical separation (a piece breaking off) and social/organizational separation (a group forming independently). Common in politics, geology, and biology. Can be transitive ('they split off a division of the company') or intransitive ('a faction split off from the party').
Words that pair with "split off"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
faction party group piece subsidiary branch
How to conjugate "split off"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
split off
I/you/we/they
3rd person
splits off
he/she/it
Past simple
splited off
yesterday
Past participle
splited off
have + pp
-ing form
spliting off
continuous
Hear "split off" in the wild
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Other ways to say "split off"
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Keep exploring
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