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disown
/dɪsˈoʊn/
refuse to acknowledge relationship
He decided to disown his brother after the scandal.
He cut ties and refused to recognize his brother as family.
formal
to refuse to accept or acknowledge a relationship with someone, especially a family member
The parents disowned their daughter for marrying outside their faith.
The parents cut off their daughter because of her marriage choice.
Often implies a permanent or serious break in familial or social bonds.
formal
to deny responsibility for something one has said, done, or created
The author disowned the controversial chapter in the new edition.
The author refused to accept that chapter as part of their work.
Commonly used in contexts of authorship, statements, or actions.
Collocations
disown a childrefuse to acknowledge a child as one's owndisown a statementdeny having made or agreed with a statement
Antonyms
Pro Tip
Emotional Weight
Use 'disown' only for significant rejections. For minor disagreements, use 'disagree' or 'distance yourself'.
Gold Rule
Transitivity
'Disown' is always transitive; it requires a direct object (e.g., disown someone/something).
Word Origin
From Middle English disownen, from dis- (negating) + own (possess/acknowledge).
Usage Notes
Disown is a strong verb, typically used for serious, often permanent, rejection of family ties or responsibility. It is more severe than 'ignore' or 'disagree'.
Word Breakdown
dis-
negation or reversal
prefixown
to possess or acknowledge as one's own
rootEnglish Dictionary