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dissociate

verb
dis·​so·​ci·​ate | \ (ˌ)di-ˈsō-shē-ˌāt How to pronounce dissociate (audio) , -sē-\
dissociated; dissociating

Definition of dissociate

transitive verb

1 : to separate from association or union with another attempts to dissociate herself from her past
2 : disunite specifically : to subject to chemical dissociation

intransitive verb

1 : to undergo dissociation
2 : to mutate especially reversibly
Synonyms & Antonyms Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about dissociate

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Did You Know?

Dissociate and its synonym "disassociate" can both mean "to separate from association or union with another." "Associate" is from Latin ad-, meaning "to," and sociare, meaning "to join." Dis- means "do the opposite of." So both "dissociate" and "disassociate" indicate severing that which is united, but some commentators argue that "disassociate" is illogical because it indicates separating and uniting simultaneously. "Dissociate" is slightly older, dating from 1582; "disassociate" dates from 1603. "Dissociate" is recommended by a number of commentators on the ground that it is shorter, which it is by a grand total of two letters-not the firmest ground for an endorsement. Both words are in current good use, but "disassociate" is used more often in the U.S.

Examples of dissociate in a Sentence

The director has tried to dissociate himself from his earlier films. Why is the organization choosing to dissociate itself from its founder?

Recent Examples on the Web

 Since then, even more Americans have chosen to dissociate from the two parties. — Peter Baker, BostonGlobe.com, "Shunning united fronts, political parties wage public internal wars," 13 July 2019 Trump’s effort to dissociate himself from his own supporters reflected the misgivings of his allies, who have flooded the upper echelons of his team with expressions of concern in the wake of a rally that veered into nativist territory. — Julie Hirschfeld Davis, BostonGlobe.com, "Trump disavows ‘send her back’ chant as Republicans fret over ugly phrase," 18 July 2019 Saeed's spokesman Nadim Awan denounced the arrest and said the cleric had dissociated himself from Lashker-e-Taiba in 2001 and has had no links with the organization since then. — Fox News, "US-wanted terror suspect blamed for 2008 Mumbai attacks that killed 166 arrested in Pakistan," 18 July 2019 In the upcoming Bond 25, James Bond is dissociated from his iconic numeral: 007. — Chloe Foussianes, Town & Country, "Captain Marvel's Lashana Lynch Is Reportedly the New 007," 15 July 2019 Trump has his own long personal history with Epstein, but has dissociated himself from the wealthy hedge fund manager, saying this week the two had a falling out 15 or so years ago and haven’t spoken since. — Richard Lardner, BostonGlobe.com, "Labor Secretary Acosta defends handling of Epstein case," 10 July 2019 Zane Lowe, Yorke spoke of the ways in which technology allows us to dissociate from reality and, therefore, avoid accountability. — Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, "Thom Yorke’s “Anima” Is His Best Solo Album," 28 June 2019 Just as Andy furiously silk-screened, taped, filmed, and collected, editing his reality and keeping the world at bay, we scroll, swipe, and recharge ad infinitum, and reality becomes ever more dissociated from materiality. — Laird Borrelli-persson, Vogue, "1968 vs. 2018: 50 Years Later Fashion Is Still Playing With the Bohemian Rhapsody of the Late, Tumultuous ’60s," 14 Dec. 2018 Triggers cause charged emotional responses, where survivors of abuse may feel altered, may get extremely angry, cry, or withdraw and dissociate. — Elly Belle, Teen Vogue, "What You Should Know About Dating a Domestic Abuse Survivor," 26 Oct. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'dissociate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of dissociate

1582, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

History and Etymology for dissociate

Latin dissociatus, past participle of dissociare, from dis- + sociare to join, from socius companion — more at social

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More Definitions for dissociate

dissociate

verb
How to pronounce dissociate (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of dissociate

: to end your relationship with or connection to someone or something : to separate (yourself) from someone or something

See the full definition for dissociate in the English Language Learners Dictionary

dissociate

verb
dis·​so·​ci·​ate | \ (ˈ)dis-ˈō-s(h)ē-ˌāt How to pronounce dissociate (audio) \
dissociated; dissociating

Medical Definition of dissociate

transitive verb

: to subject to chemical dissociation

intransitive verb

1 : to undergo dissociation
2 : to mutate especially reversibly

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