Standard Lemma guide

disassociate

verb · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /dɪsəˈsəʊʃieɪt/
  • UK:
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: D IH2 S AH0 S OW1 SH IY0 EY0 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: D IH2 S AH0 S OW1 S IY0 EY0 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To separate (oneself); to dissolve one's association with a person, group, or situation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • After the scandal, the political party disassociated itself from the questionable candidate.
  • If the whole membership disassociates, the result will be disestablishment.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To separate into smaller discrete units, as with analysis.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • The problem is easier to understand if you disassociate the variables.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To separate; to disunite; to disintegrate; to dissolve.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • The fibers of this nonwoven textile disassociated when I tried to wash it.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

Alternative form of dissociate.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: alt-of, alternative, proscribed

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

part; cease or break association with

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • She disassociated herself from the organization when she found out the identity of the president

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: dissociate, divorce, disunite, disjoint

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: separate, part, split up, split, break, break up

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dwóh1 Proto-Indo-European *d(w)is- Proto-Italic *dis- Latin dis- Old French des-bor. ▲ Latin dis-bor. Middle English dis- English dis- English associate English disassociate From dis- + associate.