verb
dissociate
dih-SOH-see-ayt
Dissociate (verb) means In psychology, to become mentally detached from your thoughts, feelings, body or surroundings, so that experience feels unreal or distant. It often happens under stress or trauma. Example: “She dissociates when the arguments start and can't recall what was said.”
verb
1
In psychology, to become mentally detached from your thoughts, feelings, body or surroundings, so that experience feels unreal or distant. It often happens under stress or trauma.
"She dissociates when the arguments start and can't recall what was said."
"He described dissociating during the crash, as if watching it from outside."
2
To separate yourself from a person, group or idea, especially publicly, so as not to be associated with them.
"The party moved quickly to dissociate itself from the remarks."
"I want to dissociate myself from that decision entirely."
3
In chemistry, to split into smaller particles such as ions, atoms or simpler molecules, often reversibly.
"In water, the salt dissociates into sodium and chloride ions."
How to use dissociate
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo mentally switch off from what's happening, or to separate yourself from something.
When to use it
Neutral; the psychological sense has moved from clinical into everyday speech.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
dissociate from reality
dissociate himself from
dissociates into ions
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Etymology
From Latin dissociare 'to separate', from dis- 'apart' plus sociare 'to join', from socius 'companion'.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for dissociate
See all rhymes for dissociate →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between dissociate and disassociate?
They mean the same thing and both are accepted, but dissociate is the older, shorter and preferred form in careful writing, and it is the only one used in psychology and chemistry. Disassociate turns up mainly in the 'distance yourself' sense.
What does dissociating feel like?
People describe it as feeling foggy, numb, or as though they are watching themselves from outside, with time and surroundings seeming unreal. Brief episodes are common under stress; frequent or prolonged dissociation is worth raising with a clinician.
What is the meaning of dissociate?
"dissociate" (verb) means in psychology, to become mentally detached from your thoughts, feelings, body or surroundings, so that experience feels unreal or distant. It often happens under stress or trauma.
What is another word for dissociate?
Other words for "dissociate" include detach, zone out, depersonalise, decouple, disunite, disassociate.
