Separated by a component (5)
I believe the answer is:
apart
'separated' is the definition.
(synonyms)
'by a component' is the wordplay.
'by' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'component' becomes 'part' (a component is a part of something).
'a' put next to 'part' is 'APART'.
(Other definitions for apart that I've seen before include "Separated; to one side" , "away" , "Separate in a trap" , "aloof" , "out on a limb?" .)