dissociate

verb

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

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

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- in this case means "do the opposite of," so both dissociate and disassociate indicate severing that which is united. Some commentators, however, argue that disassociate is illogical because it indicates separating and uniting simultaneously. Dissociate is slightly older, appearing in the late 16th century, whereas early evidence of disassociate is found in the beginning decade of the next century. Dissociate is recommended by a number of commentators on the basis 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 But as the family saga became featured in books, television series and documentaries and their notoriety grew, most institutions stripped the Sackler name from their properties and dissociated themselves from Purdue’s owners. Jan Hoffman, New York Times, 3 Dec. 2023 These automatic reactions can include shutting down (dissociating) or feeling overwhelmed, angry, vulnerable, panicky, tense or stiff. Laura Newberry, Los Angeles Times, 22 Aug. 2023 And, as our research emphasizes, tipping now seems to be more coercive, less generous and often completely dissociated from service quality. Nathan B. Warren, Fortune, 18 Aug. 2023 Anything to dissociate, to repress the dark memories that woke him at night. Tyler R. Tynes, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2023 An advantage of structural paints over chemical pigmentation is that while pigment molecules can dissociate with time and thus lose color, structural coloration can be made of very stable materials that will retain the color unless the structure is physically damaged. Rupendra Brahambhatt, Ars Technica, 24 May 2023 And then there are the children like S., who develop psychosis that persists, and who no longer recognize that they are dissociated from reality. Caitlin Gibson, Washington Post, 3 May 2023 When Kendall responds, dissociating from his petty vulgarity and delivering a stirringly grandiose defense of greed and gluttony, the crowd cheers. Phillip MacIak, The New Republic, 26 May 2023 Uncle Ruckus is another character from the show who is notable because of his disdain for Black people and enjoys dissociating himself from other Black Americans. Kris Marsh, The Conversation, 15 Mar. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dissociate.' 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

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

First Known Use

1582, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dissociate was in 1582

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Dictionary Entries Near dissociate

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

dissociate

verb
dis·​so·​ci·​ate (ˈ)dis-ˈō-sē-ˌāt How to pronounce dissociate (audio)
-shē-
dissociated; dissociating
1
: to separate from association or union with another
2

Medical Definition

dissociate

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

transitive verb

: to subject to chemical dissociation

intransitive verb

1
: to undergo dissociation
2
: to mutate especially reversibly

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