disassociate — English Dictionary

Verb

1. To separate (oneself); to dissolve one's association with a person, group, or situation.

   Examples

   After the scandal, the political party disassociated itself from the questionable candidate.

   If the whole membership disassociates, the result will be disestablishment.

   More examples (1)

   Young Americans for Freedom (YAF), a group that promotes conservatism on college campuses, has kicked one of its prominent speakers, Michelle Malkin, to the curb. […] YAF did exactly the right thing by disassociating itself from Malkin for coming to Fuentes’ defense.

2. To separate into smaller discrete units, as with analysis.

   Usage

   • Transitive
   • of a whole or of its parts

   Examples

   The problem is easier to understand if you disassociate the variables.

3. To separate; to disunite; to disintegrate; to dissolve.

   Usage

   • Intransitive
   • of linked components

   Examples

   The fibers of this nonwoven textile disassociated when I tried to wash it.

Verb

1. part; cease or break association with

   Synonyms

   dissociatedivorcedisunitedisjoint

   Broader terms

   separatepartsplit upsplitbreakbreak up

   Examples

   She disassociated herself from the organization when she found out the identity of the president