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Contract & Commercial Law vocabulary · Contract Terms & Clauses

Severability

Meaning in contract & commercial law, with examples

/ˌsevərəˈbɪləti/nounAdvanced term

In contract & commercial law, severability means: The principle, usually set out in a clause, that if one provision of a contract is invalid, the rest of the contract remains in force.

In Turkish: bölünebilirlik, kısmi geçersizlik, hükümlerin bağımsızlığı

How it is used

A typical boilerplate clause headed 'Severability'. It may also say that an invalid provision should be changed as little as needed to make it valid. The adjective is 'severable': 'each provision is severable'.

Example sentences

  1. Thanks to the severability clause, the court struck out only the non-compete and kept the rest of the contract.

  2. Our standard severability wording is in clause 24.

Common collocations

  • severability clause
  • severable provision
  • sever the invalid part
  • voidHaving no legal effect at all from the start, so that the contract or clause is treated as if it never existed.
  • enforceableAble to be made effective through a court or tribunal, so that a party can be forced to comply or to pay compensation.
  • entire agreement clauseA clause stating that the written contract contains everything the parties agreed, replacing earlier discussions, emails and drafts.
  • clauseA numbered section of a contract that deals with one specific subject, such as payment, confidentiality or termination.

More terms: Contract Terms & Clauses

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not legal advice.