dismember

verb

(ˌ)dis-ˈmem-bər How to pronounce dismember (audio)
Definition of dismembernext
1
as in to disrupt
to cause to separate into pieces usually suddenly or forcibly quickly dismembered the old toolshed and hauled it off to the dump

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to dismantle
to take apart dismembered the stage settings after the last performance

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of dismember Jason thus dismembers Cassidy’s corpse, wraps his bits up in tin foil, and stores them away in the freezer. — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Aug. 2026 The trial of Brandon Holbrook Prosecutors would argue Holbrook shot Joe Shymanski to death in Joe's Maryland driveway, then drove his body back to Pennsylvania, dismembering him and disposing of his remains. — Nikki Battiste, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026 Detectives believe Bogatiryov and Voranoff beat Furman to death, then dismembered his body and disposed of his remains, Covelli said. — Barbara Vitello, Chicago Tribune, 1 Aug. 2026 D4vd is accused of murdering 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez and dismembering her body in 2025. — Danielle Bacher, PEOPLE, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for dismember
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dismember
  1. disrupt
  2. dismantle
  3. break
  4. detach
  5. destroy
  6. disassemble
  7. disconnect
Verb
  • Rendering examines how artificial intelligence is disrupting the entertainment industry, taking you inside key battlegrounds and spotlighting change-makers wielding the technology for good and ill.
    — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2026
  • In the scenario, critical infrastructure in the central Finnish city of Kuopio, including power and water, has been disrupted by cyberattacks and there’s the threat of missile strikes from Finland’s neighbor, Russia.
    — Emma Burrows, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of disrupt
Verb
  • After dismantling the Tar Heels 48-14 last year in Chapel Hill, many pundits are expecting a similar result in Ireland.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Roof shingles then need to be removed; brick fireplaces and chimneys have to be dismantled, their pieces carefully numbered for reconstruction later; and the entire structure must be sliced into road-ready sections like a loaf of bread.
    — Nicola Twilley, New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of dismantle
Verb
  • Kusama’s large-scale sculptures and immersive installations break attendance records at museums and galleries around the world, and her works regularly set records at auction.
    — Sebastian Smee, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Diamondbacks third baseman Jose Fernandez broke hard for the ball, and no one covered third in his place.
    — Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of break
Verb
  • Nepali officials have said the floods were likely unleashed by a glacial collapse, which is when a large piece of ice, rock and debris suddenly detaches from a glacier on a mountain.
    — Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 27 Aug. 2026
  • And right now the -- a lot of the worst politicians right now are sitting up on high in Oval Office rooms, detached from the feelings of working class people.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of detach
Verb
  • In 2025, Ukraine smuggled over 100 drones into Russia inside cargo trucks to conduct strikes that damaged or destroyed roughly one-third of Russia’s active bomber fleet and caused approximately $7 billion in damages.
    — Seth G. Jones, Foreign Affairs, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Some 36,000 houses and buildings were destroyed or damaged, and more than 2,000 people are still living in evacuation centers, including school gymnasiums and community centers.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of destroy
Verb
  • While the original New York Couch Doctor (516-779-1720) is famed for disassembling bulky furniture in emergency situations 24/7, the charge is anywhere from a few hundred to a couple thousand dollars.
    — Cassie Hurwitz, Curbed, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The barn was disassembled, inventoried and reconstructed at Heritage Barbecue, according to the city’s Cultural Heritage Commission.
    — Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of disassemble
Verb
  • Tourists come here, disconnect themselves, go off into one little corner and think that’s the country.
    — Josh Rivera, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
  • And, often, the material is so technical that it is disconnected from real-world use, leading to even less engagement and retention.
    — Jason Corso, Time, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of disconnect

Browse Nearby Words

dismays
dismember
dismembered
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Cite this Entry

“Dismember.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dismember. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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