divide and conquer
The phrase "divide and conquer" has roots in both historical military strategies and modern computational methods, signifying the act of breaking down larger entities into smaller, more manageable parts.
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Definition
C1Politics
(historical, military)A tactic of maintaining control by creating divisions among opponents to weaken their collective power.
Example
- The ruler used divide and conquer to prevent his enemies from forming alliances.
B2Computer Science
(technical)An algorithm design method that solves a problem by breaking it down into smaller sub-problems, solving each one, and combining the results.
Example
- Merge sort is a classic example of a divide and conquer algorithm.
B2General
(idiomatic)A strategy of achieving success by causing disagreements or divisions among others.
Example
- The manager's divide and conquer approach led to a fragmented team.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "divide and conquer":