disconnect

verb dis·con·nect \ ˌdis-kə-ˈnekt \

Updated on: 17 Apr 2018

Definition of disconnect

transitive verb

1 : to sever the connection of or between

2 : dissociate 1

are disconnected from meaningful relationships

intransitive verb

1 : to terminate a connection

2 : to become detached or withdrawn

disconnects into dark moods

—

disconnection

play \-ˈnek-shən\ noun

See disconnect defined for English-language learners

See disconnect defined for kids

Examples of disconnect in a Sentence

The hose and faucet had been disconnected.
Disconnect the old printer and connect the new one.
The alarm system had been disconnected.
Before starting, be sure to disconnect the power supply.
Our landlord threatened to disconnect our electricity.
We were talking on the phone but suddenly we got disconnected.

Recent Examples of disconnect from the Web

The phone number that hadn’t changed in decades was disconnected.

— helen ubiñas, Philly.com, "That N. Philly handyman who died alone? He's back with his people | Helen Ubiñas," 10 Apr. 2018
The committee members also recommended disconnecting voting machines from the internet to prevent hacking, and setting up new safety procedures to make sure that paper ballots are always under lock and key.

— zachary fryer-biggs, Vox, "Congress wants states to switch to paper ballots to protect against hacking.," 3 Apr. 2018
But there is a disconnect a little bit between the administration's actions and the president's public rhetoric.

— Fox News, "Sen. Graham on escalating tensions between Russia and the US," 1 Apr. 2018
This setup, available only on the Limited and Adventure trim levels, can mechanically disconnect the rear wheels to reduce parasitic drag on the highway, improving fuel economy.

— alexander stoklosa, Car and Driver, "2019 Toyota RAV4 / RAV4 Hybrid: Sales Champ Gets a Compelling Overhaul," 29 Mar. 2018
Each generation since the 1960s has a further disconnect with their parents.

— chicago tribune, chicagotribune.com, "Speak Out: Trump's lies come home to roost," 12 Mar. 2018
That disconnect played out in the public square last week as the nation reeled from yet another mass shooting — this time, the Valentine’s Day killing of 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

— Washington Post, "Americans say Congress is listening to all the wrong people," 7 Mar. 2018
That disconnect played out in the public square last week as the nation reeled from yet another mass shooting — this time, the Valentine’s Day killing of 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

— Time, "Democrats and Republicans Agree: 85% Say Congress Is Doing a Lousy Job," 26 Feb. 2018
Mugabe’s voice did not undo the effect of his authority: Authority has its own music, disconnected from thought or language.

— karan mahajan, The New Republic, "After the Strongman," 26 Mar. 2018

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

First Known Use of disconnect

1770

disconnect Synonyms

disconnect

noun

Definition of disconnect

: a lack of or a break in connection, consistency, or agreement

a huge disconnect … between the nation's capital and the rest of the country
—R. J. Samuelson

Recent Examples of disconnect from the Web

Jacobs-Jenkins adroitly captures the zeitgeist of the contemporary workplace, the desire to be seen and appreciated, the psychological disconnect that can lead to bloody violence.

— christine dolen, miamiherald, "'Gloria' not so glorious look at a media office space | Miami Herald," 10 Apr. 2018
The disconnect that troubles this musical isn’t a matter of adapting to changing times.

— ben brantley, New York Times, "Review: ‘Mean Girls’ Sets the Perils of Being Popular to Song," 8 Apr. 2018
There wasn't that much of a disconnect or a change.

— mark elibert, Billboard, "ODIE Talks Kid Cudi's Influence on His Career & Touring With Amine, Premieres New Project 'Analogue'," 5 Apr. 2018
The current disconnect between man and franchise is part of the story, too.

— sam mellinger, kansascity, "Mellinger Minutes: Hosmer’s greatest contribution, trading Marcus Peters (?), 10 key KC athletes, and Bob Huggins," 20 Feb. 2018
The report doesn’t plumb the cause of the disconnect.

— jonathan saltzman, BostonGlobe.com, "Biopharma techs now face tougher job qualifications," 9 Jan. 2018
My concern is that there is a disconnect between the speediness of innovation and some practices, and the time for digestion for a lot of people in our democracies.

— nicholas thompson, WIRED, "Emmanuel Macron Talks to WIRED About France's AI Strategy," 31 Mar. 2018
Some have noted that there's clearly a disconnect between Leonard and the team, and many are wondering if this season's dysfunction is just a prelude to a divorce sometime in the next year or two.

— andrew sharp, SI.com, "Kawhi Leonard and the Limits of Spurs Culture," 28 Mar. 2018
But Rahim said there was a disconnect between those like-minded marchers and the handful of counterprotesters.

— andrew nicla, azcentral, "Marchers, protesters clash at Phoenix March For Our Lives," 24 Mar. 2018

First Known Use of disconnect

1982

DISCONNECT Defined for English Language Learners

disconnect

verb

Definition of disconnect for English Language Learners

: to separate (something) from something else : to break a connection between two or more things
: to stop or end the supply of electricity, water, gas, etc., to (something, such as a piece of electronic equipment)
: to stop or end the supply of (electricity, water, gas, etc.)