Skip to main content
to disassociate

to disassociate

16 7.0
To end a connection with a person, group, or idea
  • verb
  • /ˌdɪsəˈsoʊsieɪt/
translation icon : desvincularse
  • She decided to disassociate herself from negative influences in her life.
  • effectively disassociate
  • actively disassociate
  • attempt to disassociate

Confusion, I felt disassociated from my own life.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • In this case, again, the speaker must disassociate himself from what he said.

    Academic text (1997)
  • People want to disassociate themselves from it, from the horror of it.

  • And ultimately I had to kind of disassociate myself with him.

  • Because voters are able to, to disassociate their votes on state issues from federal issues.

  • When students burn a campus building, it becomes necessary for us to disassociate ourselves from that behavior.

  • Mind you, I have no such intention, but if I did, I would disassociate myself entirely from the present.

  • Did you ever notice that in times of stress or conflict that he would seem to withdraw or disassociate in some way?

  • I've tried to disassociate myself from him.

  • The university has taken pains to disassociate itself from the private speech involved in this case.

    Academic text (1996)
  • Many of these young people disassociated their own well-being from that of the nation.

    Academic text (1992)

Synonyms

to leave
vsto disassociate
1.0

To go away from a place, person, or group

is the general ending of association but may lack formality or intent
to take out
vsto disassociate
948 1.9

To remove something from a place or container

is the broader act of ending association not only physical removal
to split
vsto disassociate
575 2.3

End a relationship or go separate ways

is the basic act of breaking connections without interpersonal nuance
to separate
vsto disassociate
481 2.9

To move apart or stop being together

is the basic notion of breaking ties without extra nuance
to withdraw
vsto disassociate
466 2.8

To stop taking part in a place or activity

is similar but often means moving away gradually rather than abrupt break
to pull out
vsto disassociate
206 3.4

To stop being involved in an activity or agreement

is like ending involvement but can be temporary or case specific
to disconnect
vsto disassociate
161 3.5

To separate something so it is no longer joined, for example remove a cable or turn off power

is the removal of social or group ties rather than physical linkage
to split up
vsto disassociate
  • Informal
137 2.7

To end a close relationship and go separate ways

is the broader ending of association not limited to personal partnerships
to pull away
vsto disassociate
86 3.5

To move away from people or a place to create space

is a broader separation action not limited to initial physical movement
to disengage
vsto disassociate
82 5.3

To stop being part of or connected to something

is about ending association with focus on letting go of ties
to pull out of
vsto disassociate
79 3.2

Leave an activity or agreement you had joined

is the general act of breaking ties without implying previous joining
to distance oneself from
vsto disassociate
75 7.0

Keep away from someone or something to show no connection

is the broader act of ending association without stressing emotional distance
to divorce
vsto disassociate
59 4.6

To separate yourself completely from someone or something

is similar but used more generally for ending connections
to disown
vsto disassociate
37 5.8

Refuse to accept someone or something and stop having any connection with them

is a less extreme end of association without personal rejection or refusal
to break away
vsto disassociate
30 4.1

To leave an organization and form a separate group

is ending an association without implying creation of a new group
to break with
vsto disassociate
23 4.1

End a relationship with someone or something in a clear, final way

is the general act of breaking ties without the formal decisiveness
to detach
vsto disassociate
16 4.0

To come apart from something it is connected to

is about ending association by choice rather than passive coming apart
to splinter
vsto disassociate
11 6.2

To leave a group and form a smaller, separate one often after disagreement

is a general separation not necessarily caused by internal disagreement
to cut the cord
vsto disassociate
  • Informal
5 6.6

To stop depending on someone or something and become independent

is like ending association but focuses on leaving dependency for independence
to decouple
vsto disassociate
4 6.7

Disconnect parts that were joined so they work independently

is about ending association focused on social or personal connections
to dissociate
vsto disassociate
3 6.7

To stop being involved with a person, group, or idea

is the same in meaning but is spelled with a different letter pattern
to come away
vsto disassociate
2 3.0

To become loose and separate from something

is intentional separation rather than mere becoming detached
to untether
vsto disassociate
1 6.2

To free someone or something from limits so they can act more freely

is the general act of ending social ties rather than removing constraints
to disaffiliate
vsto disassociate
  • Formal
1 7.5

To stop being a member of a group or organization

is the general act of breaking ties not necessarily formal or official
to unattach
vsto disassociate
1 7.5

To stop feeling close to someone or something

is broader and focuses on ending formal association not just attachment
to disembroil
vsto disassociate
  • Formal
9.9

To free a person or thing from a difficult situation

is a general separation not specifically about resolving complex entanglement
to disidentify
vsto disassociate
8.9

Stop seeing yourself as part of a group or role

is a general end of association focused on actions not internal identity change

Antonyms

104 3.6

To join with others to work for a common purpose

How Detached

to sever
67 5.8
to disassociate
16 7.0
cut off
23 4.4

Surface Forms

disassociate infinitive
disassociated past participle
disassociating present participle
disassociates third person singular

Morphology

disassociate = associate (transparent) = dis + associate

The meaning is a straightforward negating or reversing extension of 'associate': to separate or cease associating.

Etymology

Disassociate starts with dis- meaning 'apart' and the part associate meaning 'to join or connect', the same root you see in social and society. So, to disassociate is to move 'apart' from a person, group, or idea and end that connection.