disabuse

[dis-uh-byooz]

See more synonyms for disabuse on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), dis·a·bused, dis·a·bus·ing.

to free (a person) from deception or error.

Origin of disabuse

From the French word désabuser, dating back to 1605–15. See dis-¹, abuse

Related formsdis·a·bus·al, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for disabuse

Contemporary Examples

We must disabuse ourselves of this perhaps half-ironic but still telling aphorism.
There Are Only Atheists in Fox Holes
Michael Carson
October 5, 2014
As a former agent himself, Horrigan hopes to disabuse renters of the notion that brokers are mercenary con artists.
From a Broken Lease, a Dream NYC Home
Lizzie Crocker
September 17, 2014
He said he wanted to disabuse anyone who thinks the administration has “a bunch of other rabbits in our hat” to ward off default.
Obama at the Shutdown Press Conference: ‘Lord Knows I’m Tired of It’
Eleanor Clift
October 8, 2013
No amount of sweet-sounding oratory is going to disabuse him of his hard-driving partisan agenda.
What Obama Should Say on Monday
Paul Begala
January 21, 2013
You'd be surprised how often my fellow British Jews are required to disabuse U.S. friends of such delusions.
What U.S. Jews Don’t Get About European Anti-Semitism
Jonathan Freedland
January 14, 2013

Historical Examples

To disabuse the world of some of these, has been my object in the present little volume.
Nuts and Nutcrackers
Charles James Lever
But Joseph will write to her in the meanwhile and disabuse her of this.
A Rent In A Cloud
Charles James Lever
It was the first effort of the interpreter to disabuse me of this notion.
To Whom This May Come
Edward Bellamy
It was utterly vain to attempt to disabuse her; it would only have compromised all of us.
Tancred
Benjamin Disraeli
It will disabuse his mind of the notion that he has any claim on me.
The Man from the Bitter Roots
Caroline Lockhart

British Dictionary definitions for disabuse

disabuse

verb

(tr usually foll by of) to rid (oneself, another person, etc) of a mistaken or misguided idea; set right

Derived Formsdisabusal, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for disabuse

v.

1610s, from dis- + abuse (v.). Related: Disabused; disabusing.

disabuse

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}disabuse

Related Words

Examples from the Web for disabuse

Contemporary Examples

We must disabuse ourselves of this perhaps half-ironic but still telling aphorism.

As a former agent himself, Horrigan hopes to disabuse renters of the notion that brokers are mercenary con artists.

He said he wanted to disabuse anyone who thinks the administration has “a bunch of other rabbits in our hat” to ward off default.

No amount of sweet-sounding oratory is going to disabuse him of his hard-driving partisan agenda.

You'd be surprised how often my fellow British Jews are required to disabuse U.S. friends of such delusions.

Historical Examples

To disabuse the world of some of these, has been my object in the present little volume.

But Joseph will write to her in the meanwhile and disabuse her of this.

It was the first effort of the interpreter to disabuse me of this notion.

It was utterly vain to attempt to disabuse her; it would only have compromised all of us.

It will disabuse his mind of the notion that he has any claim on me.

disabuse

Word Origin and History for disabuse

v.

Origin of disabuse