disconnect

1 of 3

verb

dis·​con·​nect ˌdis-kə-ˈnekt 

disconnected; disconnecting; disconnects

transitive verb

1

: to sever the connection of or between

2

: dissociate sense 1

are disconnected from meaningful relationships

intransitive verb

1

: to terminate a connection

2

: to become detached or withdrawn

disconnects into dark moods

disconnection

ˌdis-kə-ˈnek-shən 

noun

disconnect

2 of 3

noun (1)

: 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.

—Robert J. Samuelson

disconnection

3 of 3

noun (2)

dis·​connection ¦dis+ 

: the act of disconnecting or state of being disconnected : separation, detachment

a curious feeling of loneliness or disconnection from the busy crowds about him

Synonyms of disconnect

Verb

• divide
• separate
• split
• resolve
• sever

Examples of disconnect in a Sentence

Verb

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 on the Web

Verb

This executive pointed to Fairshake’s decision to stay out of the Maine Senate race as an example of its spending priorities being disconnected from its legislative goals. — Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 28 Oct. 2026

Start with one connection at a time and know that disconnecting an app doesn’t necessarily erase information already collected. — Marty Swant, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026

Noun

Notably, the disconnect between gold and timberland acreage has reached a fever pitch. — Sebastien Chasse, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2026

There’s some big disconnect there that maybe explains everything about Google at this point in time. — Nilay Patel, The Verge, 26 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (2)

dis- entry 1 + connection

First Known Use

Verb

1751, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (1)

1982, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for disconnect

• architect
• circumspect
• deselect
• dialect
• disinfect
• disrespect
• incorrect
• indirect
• intellect
• interject
• intersect
• pluperfect

Kids Definition

disconnect

verb

dis·​con·​nect

ˌdis-kə-ˈnekt

: to undo or break the connection of

disconnect two pipes

disconnect a telephone

disconnection

-ˈnek-shən

noun