disengage
Americanverb (used with object)
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disengages,
present (3rd person singular)
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disengaged,
past participle, past
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disengaging
present participle
-
to release from attachment or connection; loosen; unfasten.
to disengage a clutch.
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to free (oneself ) from an engagement, pledge, obligation, etc..
He accepted the invitation, but was later forced to disengage himself.
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Military. to break off action with (an enemy).
verb (used without object)
-
disengages,
present (3rd person singular)
-
disengaged,
past participle, past
-
disengaging
present participle
verb
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to release or become released from a connection, obligation, etc
press the clutch to disengage the gears
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military to withdraw (forces) from close action
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fencing to move (one's blade) from one side of an opponent's blade to another in a circular motion to bring the blade into an open line of attack
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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disengagesimple
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disengagessimple
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have disengagedperfect
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has disengagedperfect
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am disengagingprogressive
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are disengagingprogressive
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is disengagingprogressive
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have been disengagingperfect progressive
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has been disengagingperfect progressive
Past
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disengagedsimple
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had disengagedperfect
-
was disengagingprogressive
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were disengagingprogressive
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had been disengagingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of disengage
1605–15; < Middle French desengager, equivalent to des- dis- 1 + engager to engage
Explanation
To disengage means to "free or disentangle" yourself or some object from another person or object. No, it doesn't mean breaking off your engagement to your beloved — that's "chickening out." Does your mind wander when someone (your fiancé, for example) talks to you? Well, your mind can disengage as well, that is, stop paying attention. Disengage has quite a formal, intellectual ring to it, even if used about a situation as physical as two armies "disengaging from combat." It's a technical term, and faintly clinical; the kind of word frequently used by politicians and diplomats.
Vocabulary lists containing disengage
"The Lottery," Vocabulary from the short story
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"Of Mice and Men"
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A Doll's House
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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.
See Examples For:
After confirming speaking with family members at the scene, deputies decided to "tactically disengage while continuing to monitor the situation", police said.
From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026
“A track-mounted passenger seat assembly that is installed incorrectly can disengage from the seat tracks if there is an increased load, turbulence, or emergency landing,” the FAA said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
International pressure has been increasing on the backers of this conflict to disengage as aid agencies estimate that more than 28 million people in Suan are facing acute hunger.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
"If the strategy is not just to disengage from China, but it's to disengage more globally -- which I don't think it is, by the way -- I don't think it's sustainable," he said.
From Barron's ● Jun. 26, 2026
It took a long time for me to disengage myself from this excitement, and on the blindest, most visceral level, I never really have, and never will.
From "The Fire Next Time" by James Baldwin
"Sometimes, especially if it's fast-paced, she disengages and she doesn't want to play because she doesn't understand what she needs to do."
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
But Five Point-backed companies’ handling of increasingly scarce resources somewhat disengages each of them from commodity price fluctuations, he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2025
If a pitcher disengages a third time and doesn’t record an out, a balk is called and all runners advance one base.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 29, 2023
If a pitcher disengages a third time for a pickoff attempt, the runner advances one base if the attempt fails.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 16, 2022
Finally the deadbolt disengages, and I pull the door open, revealing the treasure trove of survival gear.
From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman
It concludes that the true challenge for Newsom is not just securing the nomination, but mobilizing disaffected and disengaged voters who may otherwise sit out another election.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026
Mayra Goulart, political science professor at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, told AFP the main challenge for Lula and Flavio will be to reach "disengaged voters" who are highly likely to abstain.
From Barron's ● Aug. 16, 2026
It could remove the potential fouls as the ball is about to be delivered, as players would need to disengaged for a few seconds before this.
From BBC ● May 11, 2026
It’s remarkable — and discouraging — how many people are disengaged from their own financial lives.
From MarketWatch ● May 11, 2026
I do not know what life will be like, separated from a faction—it feels disengaged, like a leaf divided from the tree that gives it sustenance.
From "Divergent" by Veronica Roth
In non-hybrid models, the AWD system consists of an electromagnetic coupling ahead of the rear differential, engaging and disengaging the rear wheels.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 4, 2025
Nevertheless, both governments appear to need each other, although, in light of the recent tensions, they are also moving towards disengaging from each other.
From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2025
The immediate payoff that comes from disengaging from social media might feel like “coffee money” in the short term, but “good habits have compounding effects,” Segrera said.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 10, 2025
“And when you venture outside of it, it can be quite disengaging for people.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2025
The theatrics of their holding each other close, disengaging and then holding each other close again, made her eyes fill, to her mild surprise, with tears.
From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
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.
