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Definition of "dissociate" [dis•so•ci•ate]

  • To remove from association; separate: "Marx never dissociated man from his social environment” ( Sidney Hook). (verb-transitive)
  • Chemistry To cause to undergo dissociation. (verb-transitive)
  • To cease associating; part. (verb-intransitive)
  • Biology To mutate or change morphologically, often reversibly. (verb-intransitive)
  • Chemistry To undergo dissociation. (verb-intransitive)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "dissociate" in a sentence
  • "There are also a percentage of people who have to dissociate from the realities of what they are doing to survive."
  • "I finished the book dissatisfied because there were too many questions left unanswered, I had to completely dissociate from the movie to grade it on it's own merit."
  • "In addition, because of past traumatic experiences, many of these people have acquired an ability to dissociate, that is, to cut off their feelings and bodily sensations, including feelings of physical pain."