Divorced vs. Single: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
"Divorced" refers to someone legally dissolved from marriage, while "Single" means not being married, engaged, or in a romantic relationship.
Key Differences
Divorced is a status used to describe someone who has legally ended their marriage. This term specifically refers to the dissolution of a legally recognized marital relationship. Single, on the other hand, is a broader term that describes a person who is not currently married or in a committed romantic relationship, including those who have never been married, are divorced, or widowed.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 10, 2023
The term divorced carries with it the implication of a previous marriage that has been legally dissolved. This status often involves legal processes and can be associated with various life changes, including adjustments in living arrangements, finances, and family dynamics. Single status, however, does not imply any past marriage and is simply a state of being unmarried or not in a relationship.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 10, 2023
In social contexts, being divorced can come with different societal perceptions and personal experiences compared to being single. Divorced individuals may face different challenges and considerations, such as co-parenting or dealing with the emotional aftermath of a divorce. Singles might deal with societal pressures regarding their marital status, particularly if they have never been married.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 10, 2023
From a legal perspective, divorced individuals may have specific legal obligations or rights, such as alimony or child custody arrangements. Singles, especially those who have never married, typically don't face these specific legal considerations, though they may have other legal concerns related to their single status.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 10, 2023
Lastly, in terms of personal identity, someone who is divorced might identify with this status as a significant part of their life history. For singles, especially those who have never married, their identity may not be as strongly influenced by their marital status.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 10, 2023
ADVERTISEMENT
Comparison Chart
Marital History
Indicates a previous marriage.
May include never married, divorced, or widowed.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 10, 2023
Legal Implications
Often involves legal dissolution of marriage.
No legal process for being single.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 10, 2023
Social Perceptions
May be associated with past marital experience.
Broad, without specific past marital context.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 10, 2023
Obligations
Can include alimony, child support.
Typically no such obligations.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 10, 2023
Identity Aspect
Can be a significant personal identity factor.
Less likely to define personal identity.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 10, 2023
ADVERTISEMENT
Divorced and Single Definitions
Divorced
Having undergone the process of legal separation
They were divorced after a long process.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 10, 2023
Single
Not married or in a romantic relationship
He's been single since last year.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 10, 2023
Divorced
Status after ending a marriage
Her divorced status didn't define her.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 10, 2023
Single
Unmarried status, regardless of prior relationships
She enjoys her life as a single woman.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 10, 2023
Divorced
No longer married due to legal termination
After his divorce, he moved to a new city.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 10, 2023
ADVERTISEMENT
Single
Not involved in a stable romantic partnership
He attends social events as a single man.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 10, 2023
Divorced
Not married due to dissolution of a marriage
Being divorced, he learned a lot about himself.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 10, 2023
Single
Alone or solitary in a particular context
She went on a single ticket to the concert.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 10, 2023
Divorced
Legally dissolved from a marriage
She has been divorced for three years.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 10, 2023
Single
Consisting of one part, aspect, or section
A single thickness.
A single serving.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
Having the same application for all; uniform
A single moral code for all.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Divorced
A separation between things that were once connected or associated.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
Consisting of one in number
She had but a single thought, which was to escape.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
Separate from others; individual and distinct
Every single child will receive a gift.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Divorced
To cut off; separate or disunite
An idea that was completely divorced from reality.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
Having individual opponents; involving two individuals only
Single combat.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Divorced
(of a marriage) Legally dissolved.
It is a sad fact that 43% of marriages are now divorced.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Divorced
(of persons formerly married) Having had one's marriage legally dissolved.
Mark's parents are divorced.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
Not married or involved in a romantic relationship
Once he knew she was single, he asked her to go out.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
Relating to a state of being unmarried or uninvolved in a romantic relationship
Enjoys the single life.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
Something capable of carrying, moving, or holding one person or thing at a time, as a bed or a hotel room.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
A phonograph record, especially a forty-five, having one song on each side.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
A song, often from a full-length album or compact disc, that is released for airplay.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
(Baseball) A hit enabling the batter to reach first base. Also called one-bagger, one-base hit.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
Singles A competition in which individuals compete against each other, as in rowing or figure skating.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
To cause (a base runner) to score or advance by hitting a single
Singled him to second.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
Not accompanied by anything else; one in number.
Can you give me a single reason not to leave right now?
The vase contained a single long-stemmed rose.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
Not divided in parts.
The potatoes left the spoon and landed in a single big lump on the plate.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
Not married, and (in modern times) not dating or without a significant other.
Forms often ask if a person is single, married, divorced, or widowed. In this context, a person who is dating someone but who has never married puts "single".
Josh put down that he was a single male on the dating website.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
(music) A 45 RPM vinyl record with one song on side A and one on side B.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
(music) A popular song released and sold (on any format) nominally on its own though usually having at least one extra track.
The Offspring released four singles from their most recent album.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
One who is not married or does not have a romantic partner.
He went to the party, hoping to meet some friendly singles there.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
(baseball) A hit in baseball where the batter advances to first base.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
(dominoes) A tile that has a different value (i.e. number of pips) at each end.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
A bill valued at $1.
I don't have any singles, so you'll have to make change.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
(Canadian football) A score of one point, awarded when a kicked ball is dead within the non-kicking team's end zone or has exited that end zone.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
One of the reeled filaments of silk, twisted without doubling to give them firmness.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
A floating-point number having half the precision of a double-precision value.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
To identify or select one member of a group from the others; generally used with out, either to single out or to single (something) out.
Eddie singled out his favorite marble from the bag.
Yvonne always wondered why Ernest had singled her out of the group of giggling girls she hung around with.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
(baseball) To get a hit that advances the batter exactly one base.
Pedro singled in the bottom of the eighth inning, which, if converted to a run, would put the team back into contention.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
One only, as distinguished from more than one; consisting of one alone; individual; separate; as, a single star.
No single man is born with a right of controlling the opinions of all the rest.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
Alone; having no companion.
Who single hast maintained,Against revolted multitudes, the causeOf truth.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
Hence, unmarried; as, a single man or woman.
Grows, lives, and dies in single blessedness.
Single chose to live, and shunned to wed.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
Not doubled, twisted together, or combined with others; as, a single thread; a single strand of a rope.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
Performed by one person, or one on each side; as, a single combat.
These shifts refuted, answer thy appellant, . . . Who now defles thee thrice ti single fight.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
Uncompounded; pure; unmixed.
Simple ideas are opposed to complex, and single to compound.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
Not deceitful or artful; honest; sincere.
I speak it with a single heart.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
Simple; not wise; weak; silly.
He utters such single matter in so infantly a voice.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
To select, as an individual person or thing, from among a number; to choose out from others; to separate.
Dogs who hereby can single out their master in the dark.
His blood! she faintly screamed her mindStill singling one from all mankind.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
To sequester; to withdraw; to retire.
An agent singling itself from consorts.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
To take alone, or one by one.
Men . . . commendable when they are singled.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
To take the irrregular gait called single-foot; - said of a horse. See Single-foot.
Many very fleet horses, when overdriven, adopt a disagreeable gait, which seems to be a cross between a pace and a trot, in which the two legs of one side are raised almost but not quite, simultaneously. Such horses are said to single, or to be single-footed.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
The reeled filaments of silk, twisted without doubling to give them firmness.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
The smallest whole number or a numeral representing this number;
He has the one but will need a two and three to go with it
They had lunch at one
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
Existing alone or consisting of one entity or part or aspect or individual;
Upon the hill stood a single tower
Had but a single thought which was to escape
A single survivor
A single serving
A single lens
A single thickness
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
Used of flowers having usually only one row or whorl of petals;
Single chrysanthemums resemble daisies and may have more than one row of petals
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
Not married or related to the unmarried state;
Unmarried men and women
Unmarried life
Sex and the single girl
Single parenthood
Are you married or single?
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
Characteristic of or meant for a single person or thing;
An individual serving
Separate rooms
Single occupancy
A single bed
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
Not divided among or brought to bear on more than one object or objective;
Judging a contest with a single eye
A single devotion to duty
Undivided affection
Gained their exclusive attention
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Single
Individual and distinct;
Pegged down each separate branch to the earth
A gift for every single child
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Repeatedly Asked Queries
Does single imply never married?
Single can mean never married, but it also includes divorced or widowed individuals.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 10, 2023
Are there legal documents for divorce?
Yes, divorce involves legal documents and processes.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 10, 2023
What does single mean?
Single means not being married or in a romantic relationship.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 10, 2023
Are legal documents needed to be single?
No, being single doesn't require legal documents.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 10, 2023
Do divorced people have marital obligations?
Divorced individuals may have obligations like alimony or child support.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 10, 2023
Do single people have such obligations?
Single people generally don't have obligations related to a past marriage.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 10, 2023
Can a divorced person be single?
Yes, after divorce, a person is considered single.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 10, 2023
Is staying single a personal choice?
Staying single can be a personal choice or due to various life circumstances.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 10, 2023
Is divorced a permanent status?
Divorced is a status until one remarries or changes their marital state.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 10, 2023
Does being single affect lifestyle?
Being single can affect lifestyle choices and living arrangements.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 10, 2023
Are there support groups for divorced people?
Yes, there are support groups specifically for individuals who are divorced.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 10, 2023
Do divorced individuals face societal judgments?
Divorced individuals may face societal judgments or stereotypes.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 10, 2023
Do singles face societal pressure?
Singles often face societal pressure, especially regarding marriage.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 10, 2023
Can singles have children?
Yes, singles can have children, whether from a previous relationship or other means.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 10, 2023
Is divorce a personal choice?
Divorce is often a personal choice, though it can be influenced by various factors.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 10, 2023
Can divorced status affect one's lifestyle?
Yes, being divorced can significantly affect one's lifestyle and daily life.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 10, 2023
Are there support groups for singles?
There are support groups and communities for singles, addressing various aspects of single life.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 10, 2023
Is being single a permanent state?
Being single is not necessarily permanent and can change with marriage or entering a relationship.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 10, 2023
Share this page
Link for your blog / website
HTML
Link to share via messenger
About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
Shumaila Saeed
Hifza Nasir
