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

That disconnect between real and predicted levels of consumer sentiment—popularly referred to as the “vibecession”—has puzzled economists since it first emerged during the pandemic.

From Barron's • May 27, 2026

“When things were beginning, for myself, I was having a hard time sleeping. The disconnect between our military actions and our daily lives is profound,” Hughes said.

From Salon • May 25, 2026

The disconnect has never been clearer than it is in 2026.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

“It’s this weird disconnect, right? Where you’re like, ‘That’s so cool.’

From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2026

Something was not quite adding up, this disconnect between attitudes and behaviors.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

Related Words

• cut off
• detach
• disengage
• sever