dissolution
Americannoun
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dissolutions
plural
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the act or process of resolving or dissolving into parts or elements.
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the resulting state.
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the undoing or breaking of a bond, tie, union, partnership, etc.
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the breaking up of an assembly or organization; dismissal; dispersal.
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Government. an order issued by the head of a state terminating a parliament and necessitating a new election.
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death; decease.
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a bringing or coming to an end; disintegration; decay; termination.
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legal termination, especially of business activity, with the final distribution of assets, the fixing of liabilities, etc.
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Chemistry. the process by which a solid, gas, or liquid is dispersed homogeneously in a gas, solid, or, especially, a liquid.
noun
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the resolution or separation into component parts; disintegration
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destruction by breaking up and dispersing
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the termination of a meeting or assembly, such as Parliament
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the termination of a formal or legal relationship, such as a business enterprise, marriage, etc
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the state of being dissolute; dissipation
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the act or process of dissolving
Usage
What does dissolution mean? Dissolution generally refers to the process of dissolving or breaking apart. Dissolution is the noun form of the verb dissolve, which most commonly means to mix into and melt within a liquid but has several other meanings, including to break apart. Dissolution also has several other meanings, including specific ones in contexts such as chemistry, law, and law. When it refers to the process of breaking apart, dissolution commonly applies to things like formal relationships (such as marriage) and organizations (such as a parliament). Example: The dissolution of the company left many people out of work.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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nondissolutionnoun
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predissolutionnoun
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redissolutionnoun
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self-dissolutionnoun
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dissolutiveadjective
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prodissolutionadjective
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dissolutiveadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of dissolution
1350–1400; Middle English dissolucioun (< Anglo-French ) < Latin dissolūtiōn- (stem of dissolūtiō ). See dis- 1, solution
Explanation
The dissolution of a relationship means that it's broken up or ended. The dissolution of your band means you better get started on your solo album. Dissolution comes from the Latin word dissolutio, meaning "a dissolving of something." Dissolution looks very similar to "dissolve," so to help you remember the meaning, think about what happens if you put paper in water — it breaks apart. A dissolution of a marriage is the same thing as divorce. Although it sounds like disillusion, if you try to use them interchangeably, your logic will fall apart.
Vocabulary lists containing dissolution
100 SAT Words Beginning with "D"
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The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)
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This Week in Words: September 17 - 24, 2017
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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:
It also often leads to housing instability, academic withdrawal, and family dissolution.
From Slate ● Oct. 8, 2026
The researchers process PET plastic, discarded corn stalks and leaves, and other biomass using a proprietary technique known as oxidative hydrothermal dissolution.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 13, 2026
The authority will be replaced by the new West Surrey Council in April 2027 following the dissolution of Surrey County Council and its 11 boroughs and districts as part of local government reorganisation.
From BBC ● Sep. 6, 2026
The forces' leader, Mazloum Abdi, declared their dissolution in a televised speech at the presidential palace in Damascus.
From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026
Carter paused to let them imagine the dissolution of The Vigils.
From "The Chocolate War" by Robert Cormier
"It's not about the election, it's about the dissolutions."
From Barron's ● Feb. 7, 2026
“These are mom-and-pop owners of real estate. People going through death, divorce, partnership dissolutions or retirement who are forced to sell as soon as possible,” Maher said.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 5, 2023
On the flip side, dissolutions and mixtures of worlds into stars during an engulfment could open a rare window into the interior ingredients of exoplanets.
From New York Times ● Aug. 19, 2022
Court capacity was reduced and creditors faced restrictions on taking legal action until recently, slowing the process of company dissolutions.
From Reuters ● Dec. 17, 2021
The members of the House of Commons were the same as those who had been returned to the Parliaments he had just dissolved, and their temper was naturally embittered by the two dissolutions.
From History of the English People, Volume VI Puritan England, 1642-1660; The Revolution, 1660-1683 by John Richard Green
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