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

Relevance

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
  • Pezeshkian and his camp have pushed back, portraying IRIB as dividing the country at the time of war.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Later on Friday, Infantino said the plan was to strengthen such bodies, not divide world soccer.
    — Dennis Romero, NBC news, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of divide
Verb
  • Carroll built his home in 2009 directly behind the park, separated only by a fence.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Bunion Bootie is an ultra-thin, soft fabric big-toe alignment sleeve that fits comfortably inside your shoes, with a lightweight, breathable, second-skin design that separates the big toe from the second.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of separate
Verb
  • Residents are split The average home value in the neighborhood is $430,998, according to Zillow.
    — Raisa Habersham, Miami Herald, 30 July 2026
  • The Braves were able to split Wednesday’s doubleheader, following a 3-2 loss earlier in the afternoon.
    — Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 30 July 2026
Definition of split
Verb
  • Embraced by a number of celebrities since its debut, the silhouette might present a bit of an optical illusion upon first glance, appearing as if two sides of the pump are disconnected in the front.
    — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 31 July 2026
  • In her experience, disengagement is usually the result of people feeling unheard, undervalued or disconnected from the purpose behind their work.
    — Barnaby Lashbrooke, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of disconnect
Verb
  • Comedian George Lopez recently disassociated from the Dodgers and Lakers, citing Walter's ties to GEO Group, a private prison company operating ICE detention centers for profit.
    — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • 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
Definition of disassociate
Verb
  • Undisciplined conflict produces resentment and paralysis, and leaves our relationships weak or severed entirely.
    — Frederick J. Ryan, Fortune, 25 July 2026
  • Historically, worker pay grew with productivity, but this link severed post-1970s, causing the minimum wage's real value to hit a 77-year low.
    — Doug Melville, Forbes.com, 24 July 2026
Definition of sever

Browse Nearby Words

dissociable
dissociate
dissociated
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Dissociate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dissociate. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on dissociate

Nglish: Translation of dissociate for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of mitigate

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All