Standard Lemma guide

disconnection

noun · 6 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.

  • /ˌdɪs.kəˈnɛk.ʃən/
  • UK: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɛkʃən
  • CMU ARPABET: D IH2 S K AH0 N EH1 K SH AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Severance of a physical connection.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • The disconnection of the power cable shut down all the computers.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Unexpected termination of a telephone connection.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • A sudden disconnection cut me off in mid-phrase.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Absence of rapport; the nonexistence of, or a breakdown of, effective communication.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • There was a hopeless disconnection between the weary, old teacher and the spirited, young students.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

the act of breaking a connection

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: disjunction

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: separation

5

noun

Meaning 5

an unbridgeable disparity (as from a failure of understanding)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he felt a gulf between himself and his former friends
  • there is a vast disconnect between public opinion and federal policy

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: gulf, disconnect

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: disparity

6

noun

Meaning 6

state of being disconnected

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: disjunction, disjuncture, disconnectedness

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: separation

Narrower terms: separability, incoherence, incoherency

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- Proto-Indo-European *ḱe? Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm Proto-Italic *kom Proto-Italic *kom- Latin con- Latin nectō Latin cōnectō Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Latin cōnexiōder. Latin connexionemder. Middle English connexiounder. English connection English disconnection From dis- + connection.

Across languages

Translations

3 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • German: Unterbrechung — to have no connections
  • Japanese: 断絶 (danzetsu) — to have no connections
  • Spanish: desconexión — to have no connections