disenchant

[dis-en-chant, -chahnt]

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verb (used with object)

to rid of or free from enchantment, illusion, credulity, etc.; disillusion: The harshness of everyday reality disenchanted him of his idealistic hopes.

Origin of disenchant

1580–90; < Middle French desenchanter, equivalent to des- dis-¹ + enchanter to enchant

Related formsdis·en·chant·er, noundis·en·chant·ing, adjectivedis·en·chant·ing·ly, adverbdis·en·chant·ment, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for disenchant

embitter, spoil, exacerbate, offend, bore, irritate, alienate, debunk, disillusion, enlighten, dissatisfy, dishearten, dumbfound, disconcert, baffle, deceive, fail, hamper, mislead, disenchant

Examples from the Web for disenchant

Historical Examples of disenchant

That marble mask of his beautiful love can but disenchant him.
The Bride of the Tomb and Queenie's Terrible Secret
Mrs. Alexander McVeigh Miller
But by the help of our prayers and relics we will disenchant him.
A Legend of Reading Abbey
Charles MacFarlane
But all the banqueting and largess did not disenchant the ominous mansion.
The Weird Sisters, Volume I (of 3)
Richard Dowling
I will now take you back to your father, who will certainly know how to disenchant you.'
The Violet Fairy Book
Various
Then he entered the hut and ordered the old woman to disenchant his brother.
The Grey Fairy Book
Various

British Dictionary definitions for disenchant

disenchant

verb

(tr; when passive, foll by with or by) to make disappointed or disillusionedshe is disenchanted with the marriage

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 disenchant

1580s, from Middle French desenchanter (13c.), from des- (see dis-) + enchanter "to enchant" (see enchant). Related: Disenchanted; disenchanting; disenchantment. Carlyle coined disenchantress (1831).