rift vs severance

rift and severance both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
rift	Yes	No	No	No
severance	Yes	No	No	No

As nouns, rift and severance are synonyms defined as:

rift and severance: a personal or social separation (as between opposing factions)

Other synonyms of rift include breach, break, falling out, rupture.

rift (noun)	severance (noun)
a personal or social separation (as between opposing factions)	the act of severing
a narrow fissure in rock	a personal or social separation (as between opposing factions)
a gap between cloud masses