unify

verb

uni·​fy ˈyü-nə-ˌfī How to pronounce unify (audio)
unified; unifying

transitive verb

: to make into a unit or a coherent whole : unite
unifiable adjective

Examples of unify in a Sentence

The creation of the national railroad system unified the country. two very different people unified by a common belief
Recent Examples on the Web Haiti has been in open rebellion since earlier this month, with Haiti's most powerful gangs unifying and launching a series of attacks against government institutions. Nathan Luna, ABC News, 17 Mar. 2024 Modeled after Tokugawa Ieyasu, the real-life figure who helped unify Japan, Toranaga is clever but stubborn, intimidating but warm—as dramatic a departure for Sanada as the show itself is for American television. Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 8 Mar. 2024 While the new guidance unifies the CDC’s advice on what to do when one is infected with a respiratory illness, the 25-page document highlights one important exclusion: measles. Helen Branswell, STAT, 1 Mar. 2024 Preston wrote the novel’s frame narrative, which unifies the patchwork of stories via the apartment building’s superintendent, Yessenia Grigorescu. Catherine Duncan, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Feb. 2024 The caliph — not wholly unlike the pontiff in Rome for Catholics — was the leading, unifying temporal authority of the Muslim world. Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024 Both companies said despite their goal to unify and be a low-cost competitor to major airlines, the legal obstacles wouldn't make the acquisition possible by their deadline of July 2024. Ayana Archie, NPR, 5 Mar. 2024 For us dissidents, reaching the people to unify them with the idea of reestablishing freedom has become almost impossible. Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2024 Upon his arrival in Mongibello, Tom quickly betrays Mr. Greenleaf, revealing the plot to bring Dickie home and unifying them against a common enemy. Hazlitt, 28 Feb. 2024

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

Late Latin unificare, from Latin uni- + -ficare -fy

First Known Use

1502, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unify was in 1502

Dictionary Entries Near unify

Cite this Entry

“Unify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unify. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

unify

verb
uni·​fy ˈyü-nə-ˌfī How to pronounce unify (audio)
unified; unifying
unification
ˌyü-nə-fə-ˈkā-shən
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on unify

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