divest
/daɪˈvɛst/verb
divest is spelled D-I-V-E-S-T: 6 letters and 2 syllables. It appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 33,636th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a verb, divest means “To strip, deprive, or dispossess (someone) of something (such as a right, passion, privilege, or prejudice)” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in divest?
| Letters | 6: D-I-V-E-S-T |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 1 million words; the 33,636th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is divest?
Divest appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 33,636th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce divest?
- US /daɪˈvɛst/
- US /dɪˈvɛst/
Divest has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-divest.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with divest?
The 12 most written words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as divest from its last stressed vowel (/ɛst/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of divest
- divests present, singular, he/she/it
- divesting participle, present
- divested participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does divest mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
verb
- 1
To strip, deprive, or dispossess (someone) of something (such as a right, passion, privilege, or prejudice).
You shall never divest me of my right to free speech.
- 2
To sell off or be rid of through sale, especially of a subsidiary.
In 2011, the company divested an 81% majority stake in its foreign subsidiary.
- 3
archaicTo undress.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Divest in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does divest come from?
Alteration of devest, from Middle French devester (“strip of possessions”), from Old French desvestir, from des- (“dis-”) + vestir (“to clothe”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).