disown

verb

dis·​own (ˌ)dis-ˈōn How to pronounce disown (audio)
disowned; disowning; disowns
Synonyms of disownnext

transitive verb

1
: to refuse to acknowledge as one's own
2
a
: to repudiate any connection or identification with
b
: to deny the validity or authority of
disownment
(ˌ)dis-ˈōn-mənt How to pronounce disown (audio)
noun

Synonyms of disown

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Examples of disown in a Sentence

Her parents threatened to disown her if she didn't go back to school. He was disowned for bringing shame to the family.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Her solution is to disown Brooke, should the memoir ever see the light of day. — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 19 Oct. 2026 Kwong Kau came to disown Choi and allegedly tried to assault her on one occasion, Draycott said. — Chris Lau, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2026 The album was such a notorious disappointment that even Bowie himself would later disown it. — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 27 Aug. 2026 Hong Kong's stablecoin licensing further illustrates this, approving only HKD tokens while publicly disowning any CNH stablecoin claims. — Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for disown

Word History

First Known Use

1630, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of disown was in 1630

Rhymes for disown

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Browse Nearby Words

disour
disown
disownment
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Cite this Entry

“Disown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disown. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

disown

verb
dis·​own (ˈ)dis-ˈōn How to pronounce disown (audio)
: to refuse to accept any longer as one's own : renounce, disclaim
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