dissociate

[ dih-soh-shee-eyt, -see- ]

/ dɪˈsoʊ ʃiˌeɪt, -si- /

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See synonyms for dissociate on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), dis·so·ci·at·ed, dis·so·ci·at·ing.

to sever the association of (oneself); separate: He tried to dissociate himself from the bigotry in his past.

to subject to dissociation.

verb (used without object), dis·so·ci·at·ed, dis·so·ci·at·ing.

to withdraw from association.

to undergo dissociation.

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of dissociate

1605–15; dis-¹ + (as)sociate, modeled on Latin dissociātus, past participle of dissociāre to divide, sever

OTHER WORDS FROM dissociate

dis·so·ci·a·tive, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH dissociate

disassociate, dissociate

Words nearby dissociate

dissipation, dissipation trail, dissipative system, dissociable, dissocial, dissociate, dissociation, dissociative disorder, dissogeny, dissoluble, dissolute

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use dissociate in a sentence

Somewhere in his past, Elliot had been hurt so badly that he dissociated into a version of himself who cared for everybody by ceasing to care about himself.
One Good Thing: An unsung drama of the 2010s you should stream right now|Emily VanDerWerff|August 26, 2021|Vox
In order for Morgan’s ideas to be considered plausible, they had to be stripped of her sharp feminist wit, dissociated from Morgan herself, and repackaged as legitimate science.
Tarzan Wasn’t for Her - Issue 100: Outsiders|Erika Lorraine Milam|June 2, 2021|Nautilus
Hatcher was dissociating, on the verge of tears, and he had no idea what he was doing.
My Son Fell While Skiing. Then His Mind Went Blank.|Tracy Ross|April 12, 2021|Outside Online
A separate study last week showed that it’s possible to grow a mouse fetus through half of its gestation in an artificial womb—a record for mammals, and one that further dissociates reproduction from the age-old “sperm meets egg” story.
Scientists Created an Artificial Early Embryo From Human Skin Cells|Shelly Fan|March 23, 2021|Singularity Hub

In most water loss models that assume atmospheric loss, the idea has been that UV radiation causes water high in the air to dissociate into hydrogen and oxygen.
Mars’s lost water may be buried beneath the planet’s crust|Neel Patel|March 16, 2021|MIT Technology Review
He could mimic printed text with alarming accuracy and dissociate the shapes and lines from their inherent meanings.
The Accidental Artist|Rachel Wolff|October 15, 2009|DAILY BEAST
It is difficult to dissociate the materials upon nationalities from those upon nations.
Introduction to the Science of Sociology|Robert E. Park
Nor can we dissociate health conservation from the other aspects of the movement, even if we would.
Proceedings of the Second National Conservation Congress|Various
You cannot dissociate yourselves from the labouring masses, and in particular from the women and girls of England.
Three Addresses to Girls at School|James Maurice Wilson
He could not dissociate anything that this woman said or did or wore from an idea of spiritual rarity and virtue.
The Ball and The Cross|G.K. Chesterton
It is not everybody, however, who can thus dissociate himself.
Alfred Tennyson|Andrew Lang

British Dictionary definitions for dissociate

dissociate

/ (dɪˈsəʊʃɪˌeɪt, -sɪ-) /

verb

to break or cause to break the association between (people, organizations, etc)

(tr) to regard or treat as separate or unconnected

to undergo or subject to dissociation

Derived forms of dissociate

dissociative, adjective

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

dissociate

Origin of dissociate

OTHER WORDS FROM dissociate

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH dissociate

Words nearby dissociate

Words related to dissociate

How to use dissociate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for dissociate

Derived forms of dissociate