disconnect

American  

[dis-kuh-nekt] / ˌdɪs kəˈnɛkt /

verb (used with object)

disconnected, disconnecting

1. to sever or interrupt the connection of or between; detach.

   They disconnected the telephone. We were disconnected.

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verb (used without object)

disconnected, disconnecting

1. to sever or terminate a connection, as of a telephone; hang up.

   State your business and disconnect.

2. to withdraw into one's private world.

   When social pressures become too great, she simply disconnects.

noun

1. an act or instance of disconnecting, especially the suspension of telephone or cable TV service for nonpayment of service charges.

2. a lack of communication or agreement.

   There is a huge disconnect between management and employees.

disconnect British  

/ ˌdɪskəˈnɛkt /

verb

1. (tr) to undo or break the connection of or between (something, such as a plug and a socket)

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noun

1. a lack of a connection; disconnection

   a disconnect between political discourse and the public

Other Word Forms

• disconnecter noun
• disconnection noun
• disconnective adjective
• disconnectiveness noun

Etymology

Origin of disconnect

First recorded in 1760–70; dis- ¹ + connect

Explanation

When you disconnect something, you detach or separate it from something else. If you work plowing driveways during the winter, you need to disconnect the plow from your truck in the spring. You can disconnect toy train cars, and you can also disconnect your laptop from its charger. In fact, unplugging electrical appliances is another way to disconnect something. Disconnect also means a lack of understanding or connection. So there might be a disconnect between you and your brother, or between what a politician promises to do and what she actually does. Disconnect combines dis-, "the opposite of" with connect, from the Latin conectere, "join together."

Example Sentences

“The disconnect between demand and supply continues to pressurize the market as buyers compete for scarce listings,” Carlisle said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

An unusually large disconnect has appeared in the bond market, showing just how unsettled investors are about inflation in the near term.

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

There’s a disconnect between low unemployment rates and worker sentiment, said Nela Richardson, chief economist at ADP.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 3, 2026

This challenge can make decision-making harder and, over time, may contribute to a disconnect from reality.

From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026

He showed none of the disconnect between what he did and what he believed that I'd seen in so many of my law professors.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

Related Words

• cut off
• detach
• disengage
• sever