unite
1 Americanverb (used with object)
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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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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:
In a bid to unite the right before the convention, Flavio this week posted a video apologizing to Michelle, who quickly accepted the gesture of reconciliation.
From Barron's ● Jul. 25, 2026
While Three Lions does get played inside the stadium at full-time, it is Wonderwall by Oasis which has overtaken it as the anthem to unite players and fans.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
The proposed purchase also would unite two prominent news organizations — CNN and CBS News.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026
The biggest test of that time frame is the effort to unite the EU’s fragmented capital markets to make it easier for European companies to raise money to match the scale of major global players.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026
Philbert and I talked of Papa’s friend Marcus Garvey and their movement to unite black people in demanding their equal rights.
From "X: A Novel" by Ilyasah Shabazz
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
“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
“The living. The dying. The fear that unites them both. It is what we do.”
From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia
"The American dream, Mr President, came to reality. We united the world in America," he said.
From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026
At the largest World Cup in the tournament’s history, only one thing has actually united the entire planet.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026
A senior party source said they did not expect anyone else to stand, and said the group was "united" and "cohesive".
From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026
“Everyday Republicans and Democrats and everybody in the middle are united in preserving our way of life for future generations,” Owens said, adding a message to rural communities across the country.
From Salon ● Jul. 9, 2026
Like a fleet of living, breathing warships, hundreds of whales had united to form a super pod.
From "The Wild Robot Protects" by Peter Brown
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 one thing he is succeeding at is uniting Utahns.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 14, 2026
Consider it a save for the tournament, three points for soccer in America and maybe even a win for uniting the States.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 13, 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.
