dissociation
noun
dis·so·ci·a·tion
(ˌ)di-ˌsō-sē-ˈā-shən 
-shē-
plural dissociations
1
: the act or process of dissociating : the state of being dissociated: such as
a
: the process by which a chemical combination breaks up into simpler constituents
especially
: one that results from the action of energy (such as heat) on a gas or of a solvent on a dissolved substance
b
: the separation of whole segments of the personality (as in dissociative identity disorder) or of discrete mental processes (as in schizophrenia) from the mainstream of consciousness or of behavior
2
: the property inherent in some biological stocks (as of certain bacteria) of differentiating into two or more distinct and relatively permanent strains
also
: such a strain
Examples of dissociation in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Unbearable tragedy lurks in these pages: rape, addiction, dissociation, generational memory of the pogroms and of the Holocaust, all chopped to pieces and stuffed between winningly insane layers of syntactical bizzaria and presentational devices galore.
—
Alexandra Tanner, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2025
This had precipitated a frightening period of paralysis and dissociation, during which Murata fluctuated between suicidal and homicidal thoughts.
—Elif Batuman, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025
Clear evidence for this dissociation comes from patients who have suffered damage to the parts of their brain involved in producing language.
—Big Think, 11 Mar. 2025
They also were tested for more cognitive motor dissociation.
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 4 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dissociation
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Alexandra Tanner, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2025
This had precipitated a frightening period of paralysis and dissociation, during which Murata fluctuated between suicidal and homicidal thoughts.
—Elif Batuman, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025
Clear evidence for this dissociation comes from patients who have suffered damage to the parts of their brain involved in producing language.
—Big Think, 11 Mar. 2025
They also were tested for more cognitive motor dissociation.
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 4 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dissociation
Cite this Entry
“Dissociation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dissociation. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dissociation
noun
dis·so·ci·a·tion
(ˌ)dis-ˌō-sē-ˈā-shən
-shē-
: the act or process of dissociating : the state of being dissociated
especially
: the process by which a chemical combination breaks up into simpler substances of which it is made
Medical Definition
dissociation
noun
dis·so·ci·a·tion
(ˌ)dis-ˌō-sē-ˈā-shən
-shē-
-shē-
1
: the act or process of dissociating : the state of being dissociated: as
a
: the process by which a chemical combination breaks up into simpler constituents
especially
: one that results from the action of energy (as heat) on a gas or of a solvent on a dissolved substance
b
: the separation of whole segments of the personality (as in dissociative identity disorder) or of discrete mental processes (as in schizophrenia) from the mainstream of consciousness or of behavior with loss of integrated awareness and autonomous functioning of the separated segments or parts
2
: the process by which some biological stocks (as of certain bacteria) differentiate into two or more distinct and relatively permanent strains
also
: such a strain
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