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

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."

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."

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 notes

In 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

disassociate → dissociative → associate →

Common pairings

dissociate from reality dissociate himself from dissociates into ions

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She _____ when the arguments start and can't recall what was said.

Etymology

From Latin dissociare 'to separate', from dis- 'apart' plus sociare 'to join', from socius 'companion'.

Origin: Latin

Synonyms

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detach zone out depersonalise distance disown disavow sever ties ionise break down split

Antonyms

associate align ally recombine

Related words

own friend space member league link focus join

Rhymes for dissociate

ate date rate mate fate abate slate plate state grate create update

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, distance, disown, disavow.

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own friend space member league link focus join