dissociate

verb

(ˌ)di-ˈsō-shē-ˌāt How to pronounce dissociate (audio)
Definition of dissociatenext
as in to divide
to set or force apart attempts to dissociate herself from her troubled past

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 dissociate Trump’s administration is not the first to want to dissociate itself from this word. — Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2026 Out the bottom, hypoaroused, includes being disengaged, numb, frozen, apathetic or even dissociated. — Dr. Joel M. Rothaizer, Forbes.com, 5 Mar. 2026 Galaxies will dissociate due to gravitational interactions, ejecting all masses and leaving only supermassive black holes behind. — Big Think, 20 Feb. 2026 Time to dissociate under a blanket. — Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 6 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dissociate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dissociate
  1. divide
  2. separate
  3. split
  4. disconnect
  5. disassociate
  6. sever
Verb
  • Instead, the county approved a four-site plan that excludes Midland while also eliminating Sunday voting — another issue that had divided the board during lengthy negotiations.
    — Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 18 July 2026
  • Nolan divides the sacking of Troy into two lengthy sequences, both shot under cover of darkness but edited (by Jennifer Lame) with a magisterial clarity.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 17 July 2026
Definition of divide
Verb
  • Japan’s government separated the two traditions of Shinto and Buddhism in 1868 during the Meiji era, effectively bringing Shinto shrines under state control and placing the emperor at the center of the new order.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 July 2026
  • Knowing their days of bloodline privilege are numbered, the German and the French aristocrat bond, their class affinities binding them more tightly than the uniforms that separate them.
    — Thomas Doherty, HollywoodReporter, 18 July 2026
Definition of separate
Verb
  • Having split his rehab between his native Australia and the States, Toohey remained in touch with his Warriors teammates and the team’s medical staff, even if their ability to help him was limited after the Warriors waived him in December.
    — Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 15 July 2026
  • Using that Ducato model as its starting point, Westfalia splits it into three separate levels.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 15 July 2026
Definition of split
Verb
  • Trust becomes difficult when AI systems are disconnected from the operational realities they're expected to influence.
    — Dave Link, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • Rather than accelerating execution, this growing network of stakeholders and disconnected AI tools is increasing operational complexity and extending delivery timelines.
    — Jamie Garverick, Fortune, 15 July 2026
Definition of disconnect
Verb
  • Around the same time, Hogshead began a letter writing campaign aimed at drawing broader attention to Butler’s controversies and urging other volleyball organizations and teams to disassociate themselves from him.
    — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 22 June 2026
  • The rush to disassociate from the Freedom 250 concerts is reminiscent of the exodus of artists who were booked to play the Kennedy Center after the president took control of the longstanding arts institution.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 28 May 2026
Definition of disassociate
Verb
  • Laurino told us the program hinged on a consent form the mothers were supposed to sign severing all rights to the child.
    — Bill Whitaker, CBS News, 12 July 2026
  • The appeal stems from 2023 when a trial judge ruled that Heidelberg’s predecessor, Hanson Quarry had wrongfully severed the village’s storm sewer line in 1992.
    — Hank Beckman, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2026
Definition of sever

Browse Nearby Words

dissociable
dissociate
dissociated
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Cite this Entry

“Dissociate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dissociate. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on dissociate

Nglish: Translation of dissociate for Spanish Speakers

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