What term describes the formal termination of a marriage?

The term that describes the formal termination of a marriage is "divorce." A divorce is a legal process through which a court dissolves the marriage contract between two individuals, allowing them to remarry and addressing any matters related to children, property division, and spousal support as part of the proceedings.

In contrast, separation refers to a situation where a married couple lives apart but remains legally married. This does not terminate the marriage but rather indicates that the couple has chosen to live separately, which might be a step taken before pursuing a divorce.

Annulment is a legal decree that a marriage was never valid in the first place, meaning it is treated as though it never occurred, which is distinct from a divorce since it nullifies the marriage rather than terminating it.

Cohabitation describes a situation where two individuals live together in a romantic relationship without being married. This is completely unrelated to the legal termination of a marriage as it has no bearing on marital status.

Therefore, divorce is the appropriate term that signifies the legal ending of a marriage, making it the correct answer.