dismember

verb

(ˌ)dis-ˈmem-bər How to pronounce dismember (audio)
Definition of dismembernext
1
as in to disrupt
to cause to separate into pieces usually suddenly or forcibly quickly dismembered the old toolshed and hauled it off to the dump

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to dismantle
to take apart dismembered the stage settings after the last performance

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dismember Jason thus dismembers Cassidy’s corpse, wraps his bits up in tin foil, and stores them away in the freezer. — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Aug. 2026 The trial of Brandon Holbrook Prosecutors would argue Holbrook shot Joe Shymanski to death in Joe's Maryland driveway, then drove his body back to Pennsylvania, dismembering him and disposing of his remains. — Nikki Battiste, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026 Detectives believe Bogatiryov and Voranoff beat Furman to death, then dismembered his body and disposed of his remains, Covelli said. — Barbara Vitello, Chicago Tribune, 1 Aug. 2026 D4vd is accused of murdering 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez and dismembering her body in 2025. — Danielle Bacher, PEOPLE, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for dismember
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dismember
  1. disrupt
  2. dismantle
  3. break
  4. detach
  5. destroy
  6. disassemble
  7. disconnect
Verb
  • Rendering examines how artificial intelligence is disrupting the entertainment industry, taking you inside key battlegrounds and spotlighting change-makers wielding the technology for good and ill.
    — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2026
  • In the scenario, critical infrastructure in the central Finnish city of Kuopio, including power and water, has been disrupted by cyberattacks and there’s the threat of missile strikes from Finland’s neighbor, Russia.
    — Emma Burrows, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of disrupt
Verb
  • For one, the former Arverne Theater—once a venue for Yiddish acts from the Rockaways’ vibrant Jewish community—broadcasted itself with an outsized vertical marquee until its dismantling in 1952.
    — Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The core lesson, though, hasn’t changed since those uneasy days of dismantling and rebuilding the team.
    — Andrew Rice, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of dismantle
Verb
  • Amanda Lee Myers is a senior crime reporter who covers the death penalty, cold case investigations, breaking news for USA TODAY.
    — Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Alix Earle has finally broken her silence on her feud with Alex Cooper, which was reignited earlier this year.
    — Daysia Tolentino, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of break
Verb
  • Should a major storm threaten, Optimal Transit says Kraaken could detach from its mooring within hours, move away under its own propulsion, and return to reconnect once conditions improve.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Sep. 2026
  • We’re particularly drawn to the removable bolster pillow, which supplies ample neck support for sprawling out but can also be detached for a cleaner appearance.
    — Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of detach
Verb
  • In 2025, Ukraine smuggled over 100 drones into Russia inside cargo trucks to conduct strikes that damaged or destroyed roughly one-third of Russia’s active bomber fleet and caused approximately $7 billion in damages.
    — Seth G. Jones, Foreign Affairs, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Some 36,000 houses and buildings were destroyed or damaged, and more than 2,000 people are still living in evacuation centers, including school gymnasiums and community centers.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of destroy
Verb
  • Workers began to disassemble the Shapiro work, titled Blue, on Tuesday; the Kennedy Center has not stated a rationale for why the 24-foot-tall sculpture of a stick-figure-like person was taken away.
    — Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Pratt graduate student Parul Sharma explores the Zenana, or women’s quarters, through Indian and Western craft traditions, waste textiles, natural fibers and removable hardware intended to make garments easier to disassemble.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of disassemble
Verb
  • The pilot was distracted by the autopilot disconnecting and lost control of the plane, the agency said in its report.
    — Saleen Martin, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
  • This isn’t too difficult given how deep Chelsea’s midfielders are and how disconnected the first line of their press has become.
    — Jon Mackenzie, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of disconnect

Browse Nearby Words

dismays
dismember
dismembered
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Cite this Entry

“Dismember.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dismember. Accessed 9 Sep. 2026.

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