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:
"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
It was a clear indication he wants to unite all 83 million Germans behind this team and they are all in it together.
From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026
The landmark deal would unite two storied Hollywood juggernauts under CEO David Ellison.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 21, 2026
Because of this mismatch, physicists have spent decades searching for a deeper theory that could unite quantum mechanics and gravity.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 11, 2026
Nathaniel Bacon was a white property owner in Jamestown, Virginia, who managed to unite slaves, indentured servants, and poor whites in a revolutionary effort to overthrow the planter elite.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
But there's one characteristic that unites nearly all the children: they do not attend school.
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
It unites NATO's second-largest army, Turkey, with the Islamic world's only nuclear-armed state, Pakistan, and the leading Gulf power in Saudi Arabia.
From Barron's ● Aug. 31, 2026
In that vein, the imagination as shaped by fiction is not focused on what divides but rather on what unites, even if the story depicts acts of brutality or oppression.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
"Football is a language spoken without words, a force that unites people."
From BBC ● Jul. 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
“We must be equally united in maintaining pressure.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026
Underneath this united organizational front is a rupture.
From Slate ● Sep. 16, 2026
Trump told reporters he would love to see a united Ireland while at a meeting with Martin in Dublin.
From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026
Local residents have taken to the streets and beaches repeatedly this summer to protest the island’s growing flock of visitors, united by one message: “Tourists, go home.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 12, 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
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
Nobody has put their name forward yet, but if the leaders of Uefa, Concacaf, and AFC are serious about toppling Infantino, uniting behind a single candidate is likely their best option.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
Discovery — a blockbuster deal that would reshape Hollywood by uniting two storied studios.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026
Thinking about Grandma’s and Mom’s ghosts uniting against me.
From "I'll Give You the Sun" by Jandy Nelson
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.
