be driven asunder

USAGE SUMMARY

"be driven asunder" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it in contexts discussing separation or division, often in a dramatic or literary sense. Example: "The storm caused the ships to be driven asunder, lost to the raging sea." Alternative expressions include "be torn apart" and "be split apart."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

The cast spring together round the prow of a ship as if they really were going to cleave the waves with the strength of their idealism; when news breaks of the assassination of Jean Jaurès, the socialist hope, everyone is pushed back to the edges of the stage as if humanity were about to be driven asunder.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

This is where the international matrimonial chain reaction ends, however, because we broke up in less than a year, driven asunder not by the 5,000 miles that separate London from Palo Alto but, mundanely, by our own incompatible personalities.

The New York Times

Can Egypt hold together and move forward as a unified country or will it be torn asunder by its own people, like Syria?

The New York Times

In time, it was put asunder as well.

The New Yorker

Barreca is torn asunder, leaving Zachariah and Morris on the barren platform that constitutes a stage.

The New York Times

While walls are being torn asunder, the city continues its constructed life by walking around great heaps of strewn debris.

The New Yorker

A curtain had fallen, my holy of holies was rent asunder, and new gods had to be installed.

The Guardian - Books

Bottles and vials were smashed, pieces of lab equipment were torn asunder, and shelving was pulled from the walls.

The New York Times

One could say that what was rent asunder by "Modern Starts" is here being judiciously reassembled and reconfigured.

The New York Times - Arts

Entire countries have been torn asunder, with little to no prospect of political or physical reconstruction anytime soon.

The New Yorker

"Police seemed to be saying that Shannan Gilbert had died because her soul had been rent asunder by a life in the streets".

The New York Times - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "be driven asunder" when you want to evoke a sense of dramatic or forceful separation, particularly in literary or formal contexts.

Common error

Avoid using "be driven asunder" in everyday conversation or informal writing; it can sound overly dramatic or pretentious. Simpler alternatives like "be separated" or "be torn apart" are often more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "be driven asunder" functions as a passive construction, indicating that something is acted upon and separated forcefully. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically sound, though its infrequent appearance suggests a stylistic choice.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "be driven asunder" is a grammatically correct phrase that describes a forceful separation. As Ludwig AI indicates, its usage is relatively rare, lending it a more stylistic or dramatic flair. Primarily found in news media, the phrase evokes a sense of intensity. For everyday communication, simpler alternatives might be more suitable, but in formal or literary contexts, "be driven asunder" can effectively convey a sense of powerful division.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

be sundered

A more archaic and formal synonym for being separated or divided.

be cleaved

To divide or split, often with forceful or violent implications.

be torn apart

A more common and less dramatic way to express separation.

be split apart

Implies a forceful division into distinct pieces.

be ripped apart

Suggests a violent and destructive separation.

be broken up

A gentler term for dissolution or separation, often used for relationships or groups.

be scattered

Implies a widespread dispersal, losing cohesion.

be divided

A general term for being separated into different parts or factions.

be estranged

Describes a separation, particularly in relationships, often due to discord.

be fragmented

Implies a breaking into smaller, disconnected parts.

FAQs

How can I use "be driven asunder" in a sentence?

Use "be driven asunder" to describe a forceful separation or division. For example, "The storm caused the ships to "be driven asunder"".

What does "be driven asunder" mean?

"Be driven asunder" means to be forced apart or separated, often implying a violent or dramatic event.

What can I say instead of "be driven asunder"?

You can use alternatives like "be torn apart", "be split apart", or "be ripped apart" depending on the context.

Is "be driven asunder" a common phrase?

"Be driven asunder" is not a particularly common phrase. Alternatives like "be torn apart" are more frequently used.