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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
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:
She thought it would unite the right, but Albertans saw it as a betrayal, and she later called it a “devastating personal failure.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026
El-Sayed vowed to unite Democrats around defeating Rogers, who previously served seven terms in Congress, saying that he and Stevens would be focused on “bringing the party back together.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
As the company looks to unite designers, marketing and engineering teams, it’s also monetizing its growing user base.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026
"Our purpose has always been -- and will always be -- to unite and improve," said Infantino.
From Barron's ● Aug. 5, 2026
Now was the time to unite and repay, to give any help that was possible.
From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques
According to a 2025 parliamentary report, 97% of people are annoyed by telemarketing calls, with the authors wryly noting it is "one of those rare issues that unites people in France".
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
“Whether it’s an actor or a director, a costumer or a sound designer, we are all so privileged to take part in creating television that unites us.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026
The funding comes through the agency’s National Quantum Virtual Laboratory program, which unites researchers, industry, and government to develop and commercialize quantum technology.
From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026
What unites us more than the food, even, are the memories that we have created over the years each time we share one of these dishes.
From Salon ● Jun. 3, 2026
“Lots of differences. But it’s not the differences that matter—it’s what unites us, holds together our society. That’s the question we answered.”
From "Towers Falling" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
On one critical issue, the reworking of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the automakers are presenting a united front behind the scenes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026
They are united by their faith and shared ministry, the Ohio Sisters Justice Network, whose banner described the network’s use of “gospel justice” to protect democracy, end human trafficking and support immigrants.
From Salon ● Aug. 12, 2026
The videoconference set for Tuesday will be a chance to draw "lessons" from the Ceuta episode, von der Leyen said, warning the challenges of illegal immigration require "a common European response, united action and solidarity".
From Barron's ● Aug. 3, 2026
“Right now, we need to be united and take action,” he added.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
This will be the first time two completely different sets of philosophies have united to work for this goal of better schools.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
Discovery — a blockbuster deal that would reshape Hollywood by uniting two storied studios.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026
The most iconic moments came after matches when the players joined the fans to lead the Viking row from the pitch, uniting thousands of supporters in celebration.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
The effort is also entirely bipartisan, uniting Trump-supporting Republicans with young socialists in a fight for their land and resources.
From Salon ● Jul. 9, 2026
But, as it turns out, there is one common thread uniting each of these stars’ personal homes.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 6, 2026
The uniting of the Seelie Courts, the Unseelie Courts, and the wild fey, under one crown.
From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black
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.
