disinvest

verb

dis·​in·​vest (ˌ)dis-in-ˈvest 

disinvested; disinvesting; disinvests

intransitive verb

: to reduce or eliminate capital investment (as in an industry or area)

Examples of disinvest in a Sentence

Several companies have disinvested from the country to protest its human rights policies.

Recent Examples on the Web

In contrast, most top urban mortgage deserts are historically disinvested, predominantly Black cities such as Baltimore, Memphis, and Philadelphia. —Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 8 Oct. 2025

Crump recognizes the concern, especially in communities that have been disinvested or struggled with rising property taxes. —Everett Eaton, jsonline.com, 24 Sep. 2025

Formerly redlined neighborhoods remain among the most disinvested in America. —Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 31 Aug. 2025

District 3 has been disinvested for far too long. —Charlotte Observer, 13 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1945, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for disinvest

• acquiesced
• coalesced
• dispossessed
• manifest
• overdressed
• overstressed
• prepossessed
• reassessed
• reinvest
• repossessed
• unaddressed
• uncompressed

Legal Definition

disinvest

intransitive verb

dis·​in·​vest ˌdis-ᵊn-ˈvest 

1

: to reduce or eliminate capital investment (as in an industry or area)

2

: to give up an investment

insiders force the noncontrolling shareholders to…disinvest

—R. C. Clark

transitive verb

: to cause to give up an investment

no one is being…disinvested or cashed out

—R. C. Clark