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 The protest movement also lacks a unifying rallying cry, slowing its momentum. Patrick Kingsley, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2024 So, the valedictorian honor is ultimately a unifying honor, right? ABC News, 18 Apr. 2024 Both times, the transition governments were made up of unifying figures who could stabilize the country. Pierre Esperance, Foreign Affairs, 2 Apr. 2024 By Sam Reed The environment, in other words, was ideal for a once-in-a-generation athlete like Clark to come in and make people remember why sports have such unifying power. Macaela MacKenzie, Glamour, 10 Apr. 2024 Rarely has a political party been more desperately in need of a leader who can calm the waters, unify the feuding factions and charm the money men and women. Michelle Cottle, The Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2024 The series organizes its episodes thematically rather than chronologically, with each episode built around a couple of provocative unifying ideas and something very like an arc. Lili Loofbourow, Washington Post, 29 Mar. 2024 As a ruler, Emperor Wu is known for building a strong military and unifying a northern part of China after defeating the Northern Qi dynasty. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 28 Mar. 2024 In 1997, voters approved unifying the governments of Kansas City, Kansas and Wyandotte County. Luke Nozicka, Kansas City Star, 22 Mar. 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 26 Apr. 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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