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Glite Dictionary
to disenthrall

to disenthrall

1 9.9
To free someone from control or false ideas
  • verb
  • /ˌdɪsɪnˈθrɔl/
  • Archaic
translation icon : liberar
  • Lincoln believed Americans must "disenthrall" themselves from the past, "and then we shall be saved."

Examples

  • The movement aimed to disenthrall the people from decades of oppression and control.

  • To become truly independent, we need to disenthrall ourselves from old beliefs that no longer serve us.

  • We must disenthrall ourselves, and then we shall save our country.

  • We must disenthrall ourselves, and then we shall save our country.

  • We must disenthrall ourselves, and then we shall save our country.

    Academic text (2001)

  • I'm asking only that you disenthrall yourself from the slave powers.

    Lincoln (2012)

  • He encouraged the audience to disenthrall their minds and think freely without external influences.

Synonyms

to release
vsto disenthrall
∞ 1.8

To let someone or something go free from being held

also implies ending control or breaking an illusion over someone
to let go
vsto disenthrall
∞ 1.4

To stop holding something or someone so they are free

also covers letting go of control or freeing from illusion
to free
vsto disenthrall
337 1.0

To release someone or something that is held

adds the idea of freeing from control or false belief
to rid
vsto disenthrall
98 2.3

Make someone or something free of an unwanted thing

also implies release from control or escaping deceptive influence
to disengage
vsto disenthrall
82 5.3

To stop being part of or connected to something

adds escaping manipulative control or false ideas beyond mere separation
to extricate
vsto disenthrall
22 7.6

Free a person or thing from something that traps them

goes further to include breaking controlling influence or illusions
to let loose
vsto disenthrall
13 3.8

Set something free from being held or controlled

focuses more on ending influence and false ideas beyond mere release
to untangle
vsto disenthrall
12 4.9

To free someone from a difficult or confusing situation

also applies to escaping control or illusion beyond mere confusion
to unchain
vsto disenthrall
6 4.1

Remove chains and other things that hold someone so they are free

includes ending external control and false beliefs beyond chains
to unshackle
vsto disenthrall
5 6.5

Free someone or something from limits and control

also ends control and breaks illusions as well as physical bonds
to unbind
vsto disenthrall
3 6.4

To free something by untying ropes or cords

also covers release from controlling influence or deceptive ideas
to disentangle
vsto disenthrall
3 5.8

To free a person or thing from a difficult situation

is broader, also targeting control and false beliefs rather than just problems
to disenchant
vsto disenthrall
2 7.1

Make someone stop believing an idea that is not true or realistic

also includes freeing from external control or physical bondage
to untether
vsto disenthrall
1 6.2

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

places extra weight on ending influence and false ideas too
to disembarrass
vsto disenthrall
  • Archaic
1 9.9

To free a person or thing from an unwanted burden like debts

also implies removing controlling influence or illusory beliefs
to unspell
vsto disenthrall
1 9.9

To remove a magic spell from someone or something

is similar for illusion but also covers nonmagical control or bondage
to unattach
vsto disenthrall
1 7.5

To stop feeling close to someone or something

is broader, also ending control, bondage, or illusory beliefs
to disembroil
vsto disenthrall
  • Formal
9.9

To free a person or thing from a difficult situation

extends that disentangling to ending controlling influence or illusion
to disencumber
vsto disenthrall
  • Archaic
9.9

To free someone or something from a problem that makes things hard

also covers liberation from control or deceptive beliefs
to ungrip
vsto disenthrall
7.5

To let go of a strong feeling or control that holds you back

also reaches into ending false beliefs and wider forms of bondage

Antonyms

to bind
132 3.2

To tie something tightly with rope or string

to enslave
  • NSFW
101 5.7

To force a person to work for someone else and take away their freedom

How Free

to emancipate
  • Formal
23 7.0
to disenthrall
  • Archaic
1 9.9
to liberate
104 4.3
to free
337 1.0
to release
∞ 1.8

Surface Forms

disenthrall infinitive
disenthralled past
disenthralled past participle
disenthralling present participle
disenthralls third person singular

Morphology

disenthrall = enthrall (semi-transparent) = dis + en + thrall

For a learner who knows 'enthrall', the prefix 'dis-' clearly gives the sense of releasing or freeing from that state.

Etymology

The word disenthrall comes from the parts dis- and thrall; dis- means 'remove' or 'not', as in disarm, and thrall once meant 'slave' or someone under control. So disenthrall is to 'free' someone from control or from wrong ideas.