verb
disown
dihs-OHN
Disown (verb) means to refuse to acknowledge someone, especially a family member, as belonging to you anymore. Example: “His parents threatened to disown him if he dropped out of school.”
verb
1
To refuse to acknowledge someone, especially a family member, as belonging to you anymore.
"His parents threatened to disown him if he dropped out of school."
2
To deny any connection with or responsibility for something.
"The company quickly disowned the rogue employee's comments."
How to use disown
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo cut ties with someone or something and refuse to claim them as yours anymore.
Common pairings
disown a child
publicly disown
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- disowns
- Past tense
- disowned
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
His parents threatened to _____ him if he dropped out of school.
Etymology
From dis- + own, literally meaning "to stop claiming as one's own."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “disown” mean?
The word “disown” means to refuse to acknowledge someone, especially a family member, as belonging to you anymore. In plain terms, to cut ties with someone or something and refuse to claim them as yours anymore.
How do you pronounce “disown”?
“Disown” is pronounced dihs-OHN (/dɪsˈoʊn/ in IPA).
How do you use “disown” in a sentence?
Here is “disown” used in a sentence: “His parents threatened to disown him if he dropped out of school.”
What part of speech is “disown”?
“Disown” is a verb.
How many meanings does “disown” have?
“Disown” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to refuse to acknowledge someone, especially a family member, as belonging to you anymore.
