Standard Lemma guide

disenchantment

noun · 4 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: /ˌdɪsɪnˈtʃɑːntmənt/
  • UK: /ˌdɪsɪnˈtʃæntmənt/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: D IH0 S IH0 N CH AE1 N T M AH0 N T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The act of disenchanting or the state of being disenchanted.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Freeing from false belief or illusions.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • Disenchantment with the religion led to a sharp fall in church attendance.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

The devaluation of religion or mysticism apparent in modern society.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: human-sciences, sciences, social-science, social-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

freeing from false belief or illusions

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: disillusion, disillusionment

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: edification, sophistication

History

Etymology

From dis- + enchantment. In the social sciences sense a calque of German Entzauberung, as used by sociologist Max Weber.

Across languages

Translations

18 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: desencantament — The act of disenchating or the state of being disenchanted
  • Chinese Mandarin: 祛魅 (qūmèi) — The act of disenchating or the state of being disenchanted
  • Czech: rozčarování — The act of disenchating or the state of being disenchanted
  • Dutch: onttovering — The act of disenchating or the state of being disenchanted
  • Dutch: ontgoocheling — The act of disenchating or the state of being disenchanted
  • Finnish: pettymyksen tuottaminen — The act of disenchating or the state of being disenchanted
  • Finnish: pettyminen — The act of disenchating or the state of being disenchanted
  • German: Entzauberung — The act of disenchating or the state of being disenchanted
  • German: Entzaubern — The act of disenchating or the state of being disenchanted
  • Spanish: desencantamiento — The act of disenchating or the state of being disenchanted
  • Spanish: desencanto — The act of disenchating or the state of being disenchanted
  • Swedish: avförtrollning — The act of disenchating or the state of being disenchanted
  • Czech: vystřízlivění — Freeing from false belief or illusions
  • Finnish: lumouksen haihtuminen — Freeing from false belief or illusions
  • German: Desillusionierung — Freeing from false belief or illusions
  • Spanish: desengaño — Freeing from false belief or illusions
  • Spanish: desencanto — Freeing from false belief or illusions
  • Spanish: desencantamiento — Freeing from false belief or illusions