unite
1 Americanverb (used with object)
-
unites,
present (3rd person singular)
-
united,
past participle, past
-
uniting
present participle
-
to join, combine, or incorporate so as to form a single whole or unit.
-
to cause to adhere.
to unite two pieces of wood with glue.
-
to cause to be in a state of mutual sympathy, or to have a common opinion or attitude.
-
to have or exhibit in union or combination.
a person who unites generosity and forgiveness.
-
to join in marriage.
verb (used without object)
-
unites,
present (3rd person singular)
-
united,
past participle, past
-
uniting
present participle
-
to become joined together or combined so as to form a single whole.
-
to act in concert or agreement.
-
to share a common opinion, attitude, etc.
-
to be joined by or as if by adhesion.
noun
verb
-
to make or become an integrated whole or a unity; combine
-
to join, unify or be unified in purpose, action, beliefs, etc
-
to enter or cause to enter into an association or alliance
-
to adhere or cause to adhere; fuse
-
(tr) to possess or display (qualities) in combination or at the same time
he united charm with severity
-
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
-
uniternoun
-
nonunitableadjective
-
nonuniteableadjective
-
nonunitingadjective
-
unitableadjective
-
uniteableadjective
-
ununitableadjective
-
ununitingadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
unitesimple
-
unitessimple
-
have unitedperfect
-
has unitedperfect
-
am unitingprogressive
-
are unitingprogressive
-
is unitingprogressive
-
have been unitingperfect progressive
-
has been unitingperfect progressive
Past
-
unitedsimple
-
had unitedperfect
-
was unitingprogressive
-
were unitingprogressive
-
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
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Chapter 5: The American Revolution, Lessons 3–5
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
Pandas are "animals that have got a unique ability to inspire curiosity, instill passion, evoke joy, and unite people around the globe," CEO Raymond King told onlookers at Zoo Atlanta.
From Barron's ● Nov. 7, 2026
See also: Marvell and Lumentum shareholders unite in panning merger deal: ‘It’s a trash offer’
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 6, 2026
By a fluke of electoral timetabling, millions of voters around 6,000 miles apart will unite in exercising their democratic rights within days of each other.
From BBC ● Oct. 26, 2026
Thomas, an outspoken critic of Nazism, leading to his exile, believes that his public appearances can unite the country he loves.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026
Haven’t we yet seen enough to see that he has no plan to unite with you?
From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey
They want to pierce the heavens and reach through the atmosphere to grasp the indescribable truth that unites us all.
From Salon ● Nov. 1, 2026
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
"She's connected cultures, she's crossed borders, she's reminded audiences everywhere that while we may come from different backgrounds, her music unites in a way that few other things can," he said.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 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
Naga tribal leaders united for the handover and planned to bury the remains together under a joint memorial in a park.
From Barron's ● Nov. 9, 2026
There is discussion about a monument to the man himself, a commemorative coin, special stamps and even a new national holiday to mark the moment when England united under one ruler.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 8, 2026
Charlotte Dean of the care home said the initiative "brought together generations, organisations and communities from both sides of the Atlantic, all united by the desire to make one remarkable lady feel loved and celebrated".
From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2026
The man who so bitterly divided us might ultimately have united us, at least for an evening.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026
We call ourselves the United Nations, because Isabella is Puerto Rican and Julia is Japanese American, and then there’s me—and yes, we know Black isn’t a nation, but we also know we are united.
From "A Good Kind of Trouble" by Lisa Moore Ramée
The breakup is a stunning reversal of a strategy that the company originally said would reduce healthcare costs and improve care by uniting insurance with its legacy retail pharmacy business.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026
The deal welds two legacy Hollywood powerhouses, uniting franchises like Harry Potter and Game of Thrones, into an entertainment behemoth named Skydance.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
The vandal surely didn’t mean to, but Wallace contends that he wound up uniting the neighborhood as never before.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 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
She epitomized the attitude I wanted to emulate, to be true to yourself, even when the costs are high, while simultaneously uniting people through love and laughter.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
