disabuse
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
Other Word Forms
- disabusal noun
Etymology
Origin of disabuse
From the French word désabuser, dating back to 1605–15. See dis- 1, abuse
Explanation
Disabuse means to free someone of a belief that is not true. Many teachers of health find that when they teach, they spend as much energy disabusing kids of false beliefs as they do giving them the facts. Disabuse is often connected to the word notion or idea. In singing lessons, you must disabuse young singers of the idea that they can sing better by singing louder. In the first year of college, many people are disabused of the notion that their experiences are universal — by meeting so many people who have had different experiences or come from different backgrounds.
Vocabulary lists containing disabuse
Power Prefix: dis-
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Quiz yourself on these words spoken by the man at the center of the "Laurel" / "Yanny" craze!
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Grade 12, List 5
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The President may have to disabuse them of that impression.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026
The movie’s Australian-born director, Justin Kurzel, has long had a thing for bleakness, and his new movie won’t disabuse you of that characterization.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 6, 2024
Broussard tried to disabuse me of this notion.
From Slate • May 11, 2024
“Moonshine,” a Canadian dramedy available on the CW’s website, has enough dysfunction and wild behavior to largely disabuse one of this dream … but enough Canadian charm that it still holds a certain appeal.
From New York Times • Feb. 22, 2024
Blanca tried to disabuse him of his error, explaining that neither she nor her work contained a drop of Indian blood, but the language barrier prevented him from understanding her point of view.
From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
