unify

American  

[yoo-nuh-fahy] / ˈju nəˌfaɪ /

verb (used with or without object)

unifies, present (3rd person singular) unified, past participle, past unifying present participle

1. to make or become a single unit; unite.

   to unify conflicting theories;

   to unify a country.

   Synonyms:

   coalesce, fuse, merge, combine

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unify British  

/ ˈjuːnɪˌfaɪ /

verb

1. to make or become one; unite

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unifier
  noun
• reunify
  verb (used with object)
• nonunified
  adjective
• quasi-unified
  adjective
• unifiable
  adjective
• ununified
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• unifying
  present
• unified
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• unify
  simple
• unifies
  simple
• have unified
  perfect
• has unified
  perfect
• am unifying
  progressive
• are unifying
  progressive
• is unifying
  progressive
• have been unifying
  perfect progressive
• has been unifying
  perfect progressive

Past

• unified
  simple
• had unified
  perfect
• was unifying
  progressive
• were unifying
  progressive
• had been unifying
  perfect progressive

Future

• will unify
  simple
• will have unified
  perfect
• will be unifying
  progressive
• will have been unifying
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of unify

First recorded in 1495–1505; from Late Latin ūnificāre, equivalent to Latin ūni- uni- + -ficāre -fy

Explanation

When you bring together unlike elements, you unify them. Political movements can unify people by inspiring them to work towards a shared goal. Likewise, a shared love of a team or band can unify people who otherwise don't have much in common. The verb unify comes from the Latin prefix uni-, “one,” and the root facere, “to make.” When you unify things, you make them one. Often squabbling people just need someone to point out their similarities in order to unify them. If your classmates are sabotaging each other to try to win the “best-decorated locker” award, you might be able to unify their efforts suggesting a “most awesome class” award instead.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

unify unifies unified unifying

Without those individuals there would be nothing for the unity to … you know … unify.

From Slate ● Jun. 24, 2026

Commentators have noted how different the occasion feels from America's bicentennial celebrations in 1976, which appeared to unify the country in patriotism after a difficult few years of Vietnam, Nixon and the oil crisis.

From Barron's ● Jun. 23, 2026

For decades, physicists have been trying to unify quantum mechanics with gravity.

From Science Daily ● May 3, 2026

A bout between the two would unify the division, but asked if that fight could be made, Price said "Mayer doesn't want to fight me".

From BBC ● Apr. 3, 2026

While fencing was still my priority, using my opportunity as an Olympian to unify and to lead was the greatest call-to-action of my life.

From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad

The move unifies a portfolio of more than 20 brands that has expanded as part of a continuing roll-up of smaller competitors.

From Barron's ● Apr. 16, 2026

“It unifies community. It is the glue of democracy.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 20, 2026

University of California San Diego and CEA-Leti scientists have developed a ground-breaking piezoelectric-based DC-DC converter that unifies all power switches onto a single chip to increase power density.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 20, 2024

What unifies these films — along with James’ latest, “A Compassionate Spy” — is an understanding that no true story ever ends neatly.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2023

The main difficulty in finding a theory that unifies gravity with the other forces is that general relativity is a “classical” theory; that is, it does not incorporate the uncertainty principle of quantum mechanics.

From "A Brief History of Time: And Other Essays" by Stephen Hawking

Everyone I spoke with described the current process of tracing foodborne illnesses as laborious and slow and hampered by an absence of a unified approach.

From Slate ● Jul. 22, 2026

“They require us to work together as a group of people, as a unified school district, centered on a common purpose.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026

But the transformation under Deschamps has been considerable, maximising France's regular supply of talent and creating a largely unified squad on his watch.

From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026

The ideals that once unified the country are losing their grip, surveys show.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026

Thus it is impossible to test A proton and an antiproton collide at high energy, producing a couple of almost free quarks. grand unified theories directly in the laboratory.

From "A Brief History of Time: And Other Essays" by Stephen Hawking

In his piece this week, Adam Chandler writes that the frugality of Costco’s free samples and jumbo boxes of all manner of things serves as a unifying quality.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026

Seeing the former guerrilla, now in a suit, in Ankara, Trump said, "He's doing an unbelievable job in unifying Syria. What a job he's doing."

From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026

While standing in queue for a burrito just before the USA v Turkey match in downtown LA, documentary filmmaker Erik Olsen, who has watched many World Cups, said this tournament had been a unifying experience.

From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026

For someone who had attended the festivity barely a week prior, the resolution proposed by board chair Garry Bredefeld was divisive, not unifying.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026

It seemed the best way of unifying gravity with the other forces.

From "A Brief History of Time: And Other Essays" by Stephen Hawking

Related Words

• bring together
• consolidate
• merge