unify

American  

[yoo-nuh-fahy] / ˈju nəˌfaɪ /

verb (used with or without object)

unifies, present (3rd person singular) unified, past participle, past unifying present participle

1. to make or become a single unit; unite.

   to unify conflicting theories;

   to unify a country.

   Synonyms:

   coalesce, fuse, merge, combine

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unify British  

/ ˈjuːnɪˌfaɪ /

verb

1. to make or become one; unite

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unifier
  noun
• reunify
  verb (used with object)
• nonunified
  adjective
• quasi-unified
  adjective
• unifiable
  adjective
• ununified
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• unifying
  present
• unified
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• unify
  simple
• unifies
  simple
• have unified
  perfect
• has unified
  perfect
• am unifying
  progressive
• are unifying
  progressive
• is unifying
  progressive
• have been unifying
  perfect progressive
• has been unifying
  perfect progressive

Past

• unified
  simple
• had unified
  perfect
• was unifying
  progressive
• were unifying
  progressive
• had been unifying
  perfect progressive

Future

• will unify
  simple
• will have unified
  perfect
• will be unifying
  progressive
• will have been unifying
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of unify

First recorded in 1495–1505; from Late Latin ūnificāre, equivalent to Latin ūni- uni- + -ficāre -fy

Explanation

When you bring together unlike elements, you unify them. Political movements can unify people by inspiring them to work towards a shared goal. Likewise, a shared love of a team or band can unify people who otherwise don't have much in common. The verb unify comes from the Latin prefix uni-, “one,” and the root facere, “to make.” When you unify things, you make them one. Often squabbling people just need someone to point out their similarities in order to unify them. If your classmates are sabotaging each other to try to win the “best-decorated locker” award, you might be able to unify their efforts suggesting a “most awesome class” award instead.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

unify unifies unified unifying

What began as an attempt to unify the Chinese community in Singapore has proven so effective that, some argue, it has driven dialects like Teochew, Hokkien, Cantonese and Hakka into an irreversible decline.

From BBC ● Jun. 25, 2026

Without those individuals there would be nothing for the unity to … you know … unify.

From Slate ● Jun. 24, 2026

Berkshire Hathaway, which already owns Clayton Homes, said that “over time” it plans to unify its “site-built homebuilding operations.”

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 1, 2026

The legislative bodies of both authorities last month signed a US-mediated agreement to unify public spending across the divided country for the first time in over a decade.

From Barron's ● May 17, 2026

When one tried to unify gravity with quantum mechanics, one had to introduce the idea of “imaginary” time.

From "A Brief History of Time: And Other Essays" by Stephen Hawking

The move unifies a portfolio of more than 20 brands that has expanded as part of a continuing roll-up of smaller competitors.

From Barron's ● Apr. 16, 2026

“It unifies community. It is the glue of democracy.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 20, 2026

University of California San Diego and CEA-Leti scientists have developed a ground-breaking piezoelectric-based DC-DC converter that unifies all power switches onto a single chip to increase power density.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 20, 2024

What unifies these films — along with James’ latest, “A Compassionate Spy” — is an understanding that no true story ever ends neatly.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2023

The main difficulty in finding a theory that unifies gravity with the other forces is that general relativity is a “classical” theory; that is, it does not incorporate the uncertainty principle of quantum mechanics.

From "A Brief History of Time: And Other Essays" by Stephen Hawking

Everyone I spoke with described the current process of tracing foodborne illnesses as laborious and slow and hampered by an absence of a unified approach.

From Slate ● Jul. 22, 2026

“They require us to work together as a group of people, as a unified school district, centered on a common purpose.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026

He will continue appearing on television on behalf of the White House, scowling at critics and assuring the public that the administration has never been more unified.

From Salon ● Jul. 21, 2026

But the transformation under Deschamps has been considerable, maximising France's regular supply of talent and creating a largely unified squad on his watch.

From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026

I want us to have that cohesiveness, that unified spirit.

From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger

Last year, he told the Institute for Government think tank: "Place is a unifying force. However people vote, they are united by a desire to see the place where they live move forward."

From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026

The instrumentals definitely serve as a unifying element.

From Salon ● Jul. 14, 2026

Those types of visuals, going forward, won’t have the same unifying power in a world of customized angles and replays.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026

Meeting in Ankara with Sharaa, who has traded his guerrilla fatigues for a suit, Trump said, "He's doing an unbelievable job in unifying Syria. What a job he's doing."

From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026

I am speaking of that force which all of the great religions have seen as the supreme unifying principle of life.

From "While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age during the Civil Rights Movement" by Carolyn Maull McKinstry

Related Words

• bring together
• consolidate
• merge