dismember

verb

dis·​mem·​ber (ˌ)dis-ˈmem-bər How to pronounce dismember (audio)
dismembered; dismembering (ˌ)dis-ˈmem-b(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce dismember (audio)

transitive verb

1
: to cut off or disjoin the limbs, members, or parts of
2
: to break up or tear into pieces
dismemberment noun

Examples of dismember in a Sentence

The victims' bodies had been dismembered and buried in the basement. quickly dismembered the old toolshed and hauled it off to the dump
Recent Examples on the Web Joseph Roberts had publicly called himself a victim of the #MeToo movement, only to later be charged with murdering and dismembering his fiancée. Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2024 Justin Mohn, 32, was arrested inside Fort Indiantown Gap hours after his father was found dismembered in the bathroom of their home in Middletown Township in Bucks County on Tuesday, police said. Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 2 Feb. 2024 On Friday, Bucks County District Attorney Jennifer Schorn told reporters that Mohn’s father, 68-year-old Michael Mohn, had been shot before he was found dismembered Tuesday evening. David K. Li, NBC News, 2 Feb. 2024 Prison massacres have become more frequent in recent years, leading to the deaths of hundreds of people, some of whom were found dismembered. Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 20 Feb. 2024 New York Daily News reported that a police source said authorities think the body was dismembered by the tides, rocks, and marine life for two weeks before washing ashore. Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 25 Nov. 2023 The cellmate says Gray also told him that Manor had Ray's body dismembered. Natalie Morales, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2024 Dahmer raped, murdered and dismembered at least 17 men and boys in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, between 1978 and 1991, shocking the world with his cannibalism and necrophilia. Esther Kang, Peoplemag, 16 Jan. 2024 Younger tyrannosaurs were more slender and agile, with narrow skulls and blade-like teeth, key for catching, dismembering and devouring smaller prey. Brian Handwerk, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dismember.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English dismembren, from Anglo-French desmembrer, from des- dis- + membre member

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dismember was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near dismember

Cite this Entry

“Dismember.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dismember. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

dismember

verb
dis·​mem·​ber (ˈ)dis-ˈmem-bər How to pronounce dismember (audio)
dismembered; dismembering -b(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce dismember (audio)
1
: to cut off or separate the limbs or parts of
2
: to break up or tear into pieces
dismemberment noun

Medical Definition

dismember

transitive verb
dis·​mem·​ber (ˈ)dis-ˈmem-bər How to pronounce dismember (audio)
dismembered; dismembering -b(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce dismember (audio)
: to cut off or disjoin the limbs, members, or parts of
dismemberment noun

More from Merriam-Webster on dismember

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!