1. The act of supporting, maintaining, or defending the state of being separated or divided
The court is upholding separation of church and state.
O tribunal está mantendo a separação entre igreja e estado.
2. Supporting or sustaining a legal or social division between entities or individuals
They are upholding separation of powers in the government.
Eles estão mantendo a separação de poderes no governo.
3. Continuing to enforce or preserve a boundary or distance
The policy is upholding separation between different departments.
A política está mantendo a separação entre diferentes departamentos.