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
  • The case has become a national cultural fixation and a social media spectacle, gripping and dividing spectators well beyond the Massachusetts courtroom where the 36-year-old mother is charged with killing her three young children.
    — Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Essentially a form of computational fluid dynamics, the simulation divides the flow passages into a very large number of tiny regions and calculates things such as velocity, pressure, turbulence, and temperature throughout the component.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of divide
Verb
  • The team analyzed the corridor over the long term and used seasonal-trend decomposition using LOESS, a statistical method that helped separate seasonal fluctuations from longer-term settlement.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The bridge connects two settlements in a valley in northwest Rwanda that are separated by the river.
    — Fatma Tanis, NPR, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of separate
Verb
  • Industry experts are split over whether short-drama specialists or traditional incumbents possess the stronger distribution moat.
    — Matthew Tan, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Fewer workers are splitting the cost of supporting a larger, longer-living retired population.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of split
Verb
  • Tourists come here, disconnect themselves, go off into one little corner and think that’s the country.
    — Josh Rivera, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
  • And, often, the material is so technical that it is disconnected from real-world use, leading to even less engagement and retention.
    — Jason Corso, Time, 26 Aug. 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
  • Trump has all but severed America’s system of alliances, mocked and bullied Ukraine’s president, and showered praise upon Kim Jong Un.
    — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2026
  • According to court documents in Alaska, the biological parents sought an order in California establishing them as the baby’s parents after West severed contact with them in May.
    — Doha Madani, NBC news, 20 Aug. 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 31 Aug. 2026.

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