disinherit

American

[dis-in-her-it] / ˌdɪs ɪnˈhɛr ɪt /

verb (used with object)

Law. to exclude from inheritance (an heir or a next of kin).
to deprive of a heritage, country, right, privilege, etc..

the disinherited peoples of the earth.

disinherit British

/ ˌdɪsɪnˈhɛrɪt /

verb

law to deprive (an heir or next of kin) of inheritance or right to inherit
to deprive of a right or heritage

"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

Other Word Forms

disinheritance noun
undisinherited adjective

Etymology

Origin of disinherit

First recorded in 1525–35; dis- ¹ + inherit

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.

“A parent can disinherit a child, leaving them nothing,” according to Albertson & Davidson, a law firm with offices across southern California.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 15, 2025

As we divest from its dated narratives and disinherit its archetypes, we need artists who are astute and skilled enough to invent new ones.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 16, 2024

Fleming severed his relationship with Monique after his mother threatened to disinherit him, an act that would reverberate across his lifetime in pangs of sadness and despair.

From Salon • Apr. 25, 2024

He told the jury White “wants to disinherit his two brothers. Teddy wants it all.”

From Washington Times • Jul. 11, 2023

Peace wanted to get a divorce and change his will to disinherit his wife.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023