disengage
verb
dis·en·gage
ˌdis-in-ˈgāj 
disengaged; disengaging; disengages
: to release from something that engages or involves
: to release or detach oneself : withdraw
Synonyms
Examples of disengage in a Sentence
The two dancers moved together in a series of quick movements before disengaging and leaping apart.
Put the car in gear, and then slowly disengage the clutch while pressing on the gas pedal.
If there is a malfunction, the gears will automatically disengage.
Recent Examples on the Web
Israel wishes to disengage from Gaza, but its leaders also want to control its security, a project that entails stringent inspections of goods and vetting of aid workers, complicating access for outside actors.
—
Shira Efron, Foreign Affairs, 15 Apr. 2024
The updates stopped short of forcing the feature to disengage on its own in those situations, however.
—Trisha Thadani, Washington Post, 7 Apr. 2024
The first officer acted fast, disengaging the autopilot, and recovered control of the airplane — all within about a second.
—Lewis Kamb, NBC News, 20 Mar. 2024
Johnson, like many business leaders, argues against disengaging with the world’s second largest economy.
—Diane Brady, Fortune, 23 Feb. 2024
Brands that ignore the need for specific Hispanic marketing plans risk over the years to disengage the segment that represented 51% of the country's population growth, according to the last census results.
—Isaac Mizrahi, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Should something like this happen in the future, what is a polite but FIRM way to disengage a chatty stranger, short of simply putting in my ear buds and ignoring him or her?
—Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 28 Mar. 2024
Should something like this happen in the future, what is a polite but FIRM way to disengage a chatty stranger, short of simply putting in my earbuds and ignoring him or her?
—Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 28 Mar. 2024
Due to an issue in the design of a certain brake clutch disc, the brake clutch discs may not immediately disengage from the plates, allowing some engine power to continue to transfer to the wheels.
—Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2024
Shira Efron, Foreign Affairs, 15 Apr. 2024
The updates stopped short of forcing the feature to disengage on its own in those situations, however.
—Trisha Thadani, Washington Post, 7 Apr. 2024
The first officer acted fast, disengaging the autopilot, and recovered control of the airplane — all within about a second.
—Lewis Kamb, NBC News, 20 Mar. 2024
Johnson, like many business leaders, argues against disengaging with the world’s second largest economy.
—Diane Brady, Fortune, 23 Feb. 2024
Brands that ignore the need for specific Hispanic marketing plans risk over the years to disengage the segment that represented 51% of the country's population growth, according to the last census results.
—Isaac Mizrahi, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Should something like this happen in the future, what is a polite but FIRM way to disengage a chatty stranger, short of simply putting in my ear buds and ignoring him or her?
—Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 28 Mar. 2024
Should something like this happen in the future, what is a polite but FIRM way to disengage a chatty stranger, short of simply putting in my earbuds and ignoring him or her?
—Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 28 Mar. 2024
Due to an issue in the design of a certain brake clutch disc, the brake clutch discs may not immediately disengage from the plates, allowing some engine power to continue to transfer to the wheels.
—Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'disengage.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near disengage
Cite this Entry
“Disengage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disengage. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
disengage
verb
dis·en·gage
ˌdis-ᵊn-ˈgāj
: to free or release from an engagement, entanglement, or burden
disengage an automobile clutch
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