halve

verb

ˈhav 

ˈhäv

halved; halving

transitive verb

1

a

: to divide into two equal parts

b

: to reduce to one half

halving the present cost

c

: to share equally

2

golf : to play (a hole, round, or match) in the same number of strokes as one's opponent

I lost the next two holes to pars, then halved the fourth by missing an easy putt.

—David Owen

Examples of halve in a Sentence

The store is halving the price of many summer items.

Recent Examples on the Web

The British economy has barely grown over the last six months, and the Bank of England halved its growth projection for the British economy this year to 0.75%. —Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2025

In the same survey, high school seniors’ drinking rates halved between 1975 and 2024, falling to an all-time low of 42%. SOURCE: Gallup | Jacob Turcotte/Staff Alcohol also seems to be falling out of favor in the court of public opinion – again, especially among younger Americans. —Jacob Turcotte, The Christian Science Monitor, 5 Feb. 2025

Unlike previous crises — recall former President Barack Obama’s promise to halve the deficit within five years of the end of the Great Recession — there was no plan to offset the spending hikes by raising revenue or cutting other spending. —Veronique De Rugy, Orange County Register, 20 Jan. 2025

The innovation lies in bitcoin predictable scarcity, four-year halving cycles, and historical price appreciation. —Dave Birnbaum, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from half half

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

halve

verb

ˈhav 

ˈhȧv

halved; halving

1

: to divide into two halves

2

: to reduce to one half

halving the cost