unite
1 Americanverb (used with object)
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unites,
present (3rd person singular)
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united,
past participle, past
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uniting
present participle
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to join, combine, or incorporate so as to form a single whole or unit.
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to cause to adhere.
to unite two pieces of wood with glue.
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to cause to be in a state of mutual sympathy, or to have a common opinion or attitude.
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to have or exhibit in union or combination.
a person who unites generosity and forgiveness.
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to join in marriage.
verb (used without object)
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unites,
present (3rd person singular)
-
united,
past participle, past
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uniting
present participle
-
to become joined together or combined so as to form a single whole.
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to act in concert or agreement.
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to share a common opinion, attitude, etc.
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to be joined by or as if by adhesion.
noun
verb
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to make or become an integrated whole or a unity; combine
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to join, unify or be unified in purpose, action, beliefs, etc
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to enter or cause to enter into an association or alliance
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to adhere or cause to adhere; fuse
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(tr) to possess or display (qualities) in combination or at the same time
he united charm with severity
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archaic to join or become joined in marriage
noun
Usage
What are other ways to say unite? To unite is to combine or incorporate two or more things so as to form a single whole or unit. How is unite different from connect and join? Find out on Thesaurus.com.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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uniternoun
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nonunitableadjective
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nonuniteableadjective
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nonunitingadjective
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unitableadjective
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uniteableadjective
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ununitableadjective
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ununitingadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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unitesimple
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unitessimple
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have unitedperfect
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has unitedperfect
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am unitingprogressive
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are unitingprogressive
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is unitingprogressive
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have been unitingperfect progressive
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has been unitingperfect progressive
Past
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unitedsimple
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had unitedperfect
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was unitingprogressive
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were unitingprogressive
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had been unitingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of unite1
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English uniten, from Latin ūnītus, past participle of ūnīre “to join together, unite,” equivalent to ūn(us) “one” + -ītus -ite 1
Origin of unite2
First recorded in 1595–1605; noun use of earlier past participle of unite 1, referring to union of England and Scotland
Explanation
Use the verb unite to describe two or more things merging into one, like several angry citizens who unite to form a political group. If two countries come together to form one country, they unite. This happened in 1990 when East Germany and West Germany merged into one united Germany. If several people act as one, joining for a common goal, they also unite. The word has been used in English since the fifteenth century, and it came from the Latin unitus, "to unite," which in turn has its roots in unus, which means "one."
Vocabulary lists containing unite
Common Five-letter Words for Wordle, List 4
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Medieval Christendom, Lessons 1–2
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Chapter 5: The American Revolution, Lessons 3–5
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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 began in 1888 with his effort to unite separate railway craft unions behind demands for wage concessions from the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad Co.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
Ceferin has ruled out standing against Infantino himself but is committed to finding a candidate the game can unite around when Fifa holds its presidential election in March.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
"Students are winning! I think it is crucial that we unite around that narrative," student Dimitrije Potic told AFP at a May rally in Belgrade that drew more than 180,000 people.
From Barron's ● Sep. 27, 2026
Since the model was proposed, similar ideas have appeared in several modern attempts to unite gravity and quantum mechanics, including string theory and loop quantum gravity.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 21, 2026
I really wish I would’ve been enough to unite everyone the way Arthur was able to do on his birthday, but that’s in the past now.
From "What If It's Us" by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera
If there’s one issue that unites Americans from left to right, it’s that Epstein was a world-class scumbag, and his death unfortunate only insofar as it meant he never truly saw justice.
From Slate ● Oct. 27, 2026
McDonald’s latest Happy Meal collaboration unites the anime pirates of One Piece with Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
Infantino wrote: "You mentioned the few people denied visas and overlooked the millions who were approved, from all parts of the world. Because football unites the world, and it was impressively demonstrated this summer."
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
We are truly one nation under many gods — a fact that unites us across our fractured political divide.
From Salon ● Apr. 23, 2017
“Inside out. What unites us? Instead of differences over time—what’s similar? The same?”
From "Towers Falling" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Supporters and opposers of his decision are united: He’s a bumbler whose bumbling made things more expensive.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026
“We were all united by the same search.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026
Are we more united today because of their self-described magnanimity?
From Slate ● Oct. 21, 2026
Carney has repeatedly cited the proposed pipeline to argue for Alberta's future prosperity within a united Canada.
From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026
Before you knew it, Beatrice and Nigel were united in the bonds of matrimony, sealed with a kiss.
From "Secrets at Sea" by Richard Peck
Oschin reveals the power of uniting these strengths.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 27, 2026
Kroger in 2022 agreed to buy Albertsons for $20 billion, uniting the No. 1 and No. 2 U.S. supermarket chains by store count.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026
Harald "worked tirelessly throughout his reign to strengthen the ties uniting Norway and France", French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on X, recalling a "warm welcome" on his visit to Oslo in June 2025.
From Barron's ● Aug. 28, 2026
As with opposition to AI-fueling data centers, the revolt against Flock cameras is drawing support from across the political spectrum, uniting Republicans and Democrats in red and blue America.
From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026
Around the time of his fourteenth birthday, with all the pressures of church and home uniting to drive him to the altar, he strove to appear more serious and therefore less conspicuous.
From "Go Tell It on the Mountain" by James Baldwin
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
