disassociate: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Academic, Professional
Quick answer
What does “disassociate” mean?
To separate or detach oneself or something from a connection, association, or relationship.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To separate or detach oneself or something from a connection, association, or relationship.
To mentally or emotionally distance oneself from a person, group, idea, or action; to break a link or connection, often to avoid responsibility or negative consequences.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In British English, 'dissociate' is more common. 'Disassociate' is also used and understood, but some style guides consider it less preferred. In American English, 'disassociate' is standard and more frequent than 'dissociate'.
Connotations
Both forms carry the same meaning. 'Disassociate' can sometimes be perceived as slightly more emphatic or deliberate due to its extra syllable.
Frequency
In UK corpora, 'dissociate' appears roughly 2-3 times more often. In US corpora, 'disassociate' is the dominant form.
Grammar
How to Use “disassociate” in a Sentence
[Subject] disassociates [Object] from [X][Subject] disassociates [Reflexive Pronoun] from [X]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “disassociate” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The party leader was forced to disassociate himself from the remarks.
- It is difficult to disassociate the artist's work from his personal life.
- They sought to disassociate the brand from its outdated image.
American English
- The senator disassociated herself from the PAC's advertising campaign.
- You need to disassociate your personal feelings from the professional decision.
- The manual explains how to disassociate the device from your network.
adverb
British English
- He spoke disassociately about the traumatic event.
- The data points were presented disassociately.
American English
- She watched the scene disassociately, as if it weren't real.
- The components function disassociately from one another.
adjective
British English
- The disassociated fragments of memory were troubling.
- He felt a sense of disassociated reality.
American English
- She experienced a disassociated state during the stress.
- The report presented disassociated facts without analysis.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used when a company wants to distance its brand from a controversial partner, product, or statement. 'The board moved quickly to disassociate the firm from the supplier's labour practices.'
Academic
Common in psychology, sociology, and political science to describe cognitive or social separation. 'The study examines how individuals disassociate from stigmatised groups.'
Everyday
Used to describe ending a personal connection or denying involvement. 'I had to disassociate myself from that group after their views became extreme.'
Technical
In computing, can refer to breaking a logical connection between processes or data entities. 'The protocol allows a client to disassociate from the server cleanly.'
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “disassociate”
- Incorrect: 'I disassociated the event.' (Missing 'from'). Correct: 'I disassociated myself from the event.'
- Spelling confusion: 'disasociate' (missing an 's') or 'disassosiate'.
- Using it intransitively without a reflexive pronoun or object where needed.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
There is no difference in meaning. 'Dissociate' is the original, shorter form. 'Disassociate' is a later variant that is more common in American English. They are synonyms and can be used interchangeably, though some British style guides prefer 'dissociate'.
No, but it is very common. The reflexive pattern 'disassociate oneself from' is frequent. It can also be used transitively with an object (e.g., 'disassociate the concept from its history') or, in technical contexts, intransitively (e.g., 'the device disassociated from the network').
Typically, it is neutral, describing an act of separation. The connotation depends on context. It can be positive (e.g., disassociating from a harmful habit), negative (e.g., disassociating from responsibility), or clinical (e.g., a psychological process).
Yes, it is more formal than 'separate from' or 'distance from'. It is common in formal writing, journalism, academia, and professional contexts. In everyday speech, people might use simpler synonyms like 'break away from' or 'cut ties with'.
To separate or detach oneself or something from a connection, association, or relationship.
Disassociate: in British English it is pronounced /ˌdɪs.əˈsəʊ.si.eɪt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌdɪs.əˈsoʊ.si.eɪt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To disassociate oneself from the pack”
- “To disassociate from reality”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: DIS + ASSOCIATE. You are taking the 'DIS' step to NOT be part of an ASSOCIATION anymore.
Conceptual Metaphor
CONNECTION IS A PHYSICAL BOND / DISASSOCIATION IS BREAKING OR UNTYING THAT BOND.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'disassociate' LEAST appropriate?