disengage
Americanverb (used with object)
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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)
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
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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.
The city has argued in court filings that the ordinance didn’t specifically ban teaching yoga in its parks, but required people seeking to engage in commercial activity or lectures to obtain a permit.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 2, 2026
"The United States will continue to engage with Mexico and Canada to address the agreement's shortcomings and our trade deficits with these countries," he added.
From Barron's • Jul. 1, 2026
The issue could cause the park function to engage while in motion, potentially leading to rollaway; dealers will update software.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 30, 2026
It has also promised that NHS staff who refuse to engage with upcoming maternity reviews will be compelled to give evidence or face up to two years in prison.
From BBC • Jun. 24, 2026
“Mom and Dad are trying to engage with you. You don’t have to be such a jerk.”
From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz
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.
