disunite: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Literary, Political
Quick answer
What does “disunite” mean?
To cause people or groups to separate, breaking their unity or connection.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To cause people or groups to separate, breaking their unity or connection.
To destroy the harmony, cohesion, or political union of a group, organisation, or nation; to introduce discord or division.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Spelling remains the same.
Connotations
Slightly more archaic/literary in both variants, with primary modern use in historical, political, or formal analysis.
Frequency
Low frequency in everyday speech for both, but marginally more common in British political/historical discourse (e.g., discussions of UK union).
Grammar
How to Use “disunite” in a Sentence
[Agent] disunites [Patient/Group] (e.g., The scandal disunited the party.)[Agent] disunites [Patient/Group] from [Patient/Group] (e.g., The policy disunited the north from the south.)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “disunite” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The debate over Brexit had the potential to disunite the United Kingdom.
- He accused the media of trying to disunite the community.
American English
- The new policy threatened to disunite the coalition of states.
- They feared the scandal would disunite the party ahead of the convention.
adverb
British English
- The group acted disunitedly, with no coherent strategy. (extremely rare)
American English
- (No standard adverbial form in common use)
adjective
British English
- The disunited factions could not agree on a leader.
- A disunited opposition is unlikely to win the election.
American English
- The disunited board failed to pass the resolution.
- His goal was to lead a strong, not disunited, nation.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. 'The hostile takeover bid threatened to disunite the board of directors.'
Academic
Common in political science, history, sociology. 'The historian analysed the forces that disunited the empire.'
Everyday
Very rare. Typically replaced by 'split up', 'divide', or 'cause a rift'.
Technical
Not applicable in STEM fields.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “disunite”
- Using it for physical separation (e.g., 'Disunite the Lego bricks').
- Overusing in casual speech where 'split up' or 'fall out' is more natural.
- Misspelling as 'disunify' (much rarer).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a formal, literary, or political word. In everyday conversation, people use 'split up', 'divide', or 'cause a rift'.
The most common related noun is 'disunity'. 'Disunion' is also possible but less common, often referring to a state of separation (e.g., the Disunion of the United States).
Typically no. It is used for groups of people, organisations, or political entities. Using it for physical objects sounds odd or archaic.
'Separate' is neutral and general. 'Disunite' implies destroying an existing unity, often with negative consequences and deliberate agency. It is more specific and charged.
To cause people or groups to separate, breaking their unity or connection.
Disunite is usually formal, literary, political in register.
Disunite: in British English it is pronounced /ˌdɪs.jʊˈnaɪt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌdɪs.jʊˈnaɪt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To sow seeds of disunity (related concept)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: DIS- (opposite) + UNITE (bring together). So, to do the opposite of uniting.
Conceptual Metaphor
UNITY IS WHOLENESS / DISUNITY IS FRAGMENTATION. Disuniting is breaking a whole into pieces.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'disunite' MOST appropriately used?