dissociated
dissociated — adjective
- dissociatedpositive
- more dissociatedcomparative
- most dissociatedsuperlative
1. no longer connected to or involved with something or someone; having ended a rel
no longer connected to or involved with something or someone; having ended a relationship or association.
After the election, the former allies felt completely dissociated from each other's goals.
collocation: completely dissociated from
The two ideas are dissociated in the report; each appears in a separate chapter.
passive: are dissociated + location phrase
Anong kept her work life strictly dissociated from her family time at home.
Many residents feel dissociated from local government decisions that affect their street.
The charity board voted to stay dissociated from any political party or campaign.
- separated
more general; can describe physical or emotional distance
- disconnected
less formal; implies a previously existing link has broken
- detached
can mean physically removed or emotionally uninvolved
用法筆記
Often followed by the preposition 'from' to indicate what the subject is separated from.
常見錯誤
2. experiencing a feeling of being disconnected from one's own thoughts, feelings,
experiencing a feeling of being disconnected from one's own thoughts, feelings, or physical surroundings, often as a reaction to trauma or extreme stress.
After the accident, Renata felt strangely dissociated, as if watching herself from far away.
collocation: felt dissociated + simile
Eli described a dissociated state where colours seemed dull and sounds came from a distance.
collocation: dissociated state
In therapy, Cyrus learned that his dissociated feelings were a normal response to extreme stress.
Patients who live through a serious trauma can become dissociated without realising it.
During the crisis, Adaeze felt dissociated from her emotions, like a robot going through motions.
- detached
less clinical; can describe temporary unfocused feelings
- disconnected
less technical; describes the subjective experience
- spaced-out
informal; implies a milder, temporary state
用法筆記
Frequently used in clinical and therapeutic contexts. Not interchangeable with the general sense of 'not connected' (sense 1) — this sense describes an involuntary psychological state distinct from a conscious choice to stay separate.
常見錯誤
dissociated — verb
- dissociatedpresent simple I / you / we / they
- dissociateds3rd person singular
- dissociateding-ing form
- dissociatededpast simple
1. to end a connection, relationship, or association with a person, group, or idea;
to end a connection, relationship, or association with a person, group, or idea; to keep separate or treat as unconnected.
The politician tried to dissociate herself from the scandal that involved several staff members.
transitive: dissociate + oneself + from + scandal
Scientists must learn to dissociate personal opinions from the results of their experiments.
Hyun decided to dissociate from the organisation after the new rules took effect.
It is difficult to dissociate the artist's work from his troubled personal history.
The company quickly dissociated its brand from the advertisement after complaints began.
- separate
more general; works for physical and abstract contexts
- distance
often reflexive (distance oneself); suggests deliberate emotional or social withdrawal
- disconnect
more concrete; implies a link or channel that has been cut
文法句型
dissociate + object + from + noun
dissociate + from + noun
用法筆記
The transitive pattern (dissociate X from Y) and the intransitive reflexive pattern (dissociate oneself from Y) are both common. The preposition must be 'from', never 'with'.
常見錯誤
2. to involuntarily separate one's conscious mind from one's feelings, memories, or
to involuntarily separate one's conscious mind from one's feelings, memories, or physical surroundings, often as a response to trauma or intense stress.
After the attack, Valentina began to dissociate whenever she heard loud noises.
intransitive: began to dissociate + trigger
The patient would dissociate during sessions when the therapist mentioned her childhood.
Anya learned to notice the signs that she was about to dissociate and ground herself.
Some soldiers returning from combat zones dissociate from their surroundings without meaning to.
Ryan would dissociate for minutes at a time, staring at the wall and not responding.
文法句型
dissociate + from + noun
用法筆記
This psychological sense is intransitive or reflexive; it cannot take a direct object the way sense 1 does ('dissociate memories' is not correct for this sense). Distinguish from sense 1: sense 1 describes a deliberate social or mental separation, while sense 2 is an involuntary psychological reaction.
常見錯誤
3. to separate into smaller molecules, atoms, or ions, or to cause such a separatio
to separate into smaller molecules, atoms, or ions, or to cause such a separation.
When table salt dissolves in water, its molecules dissociate into positive and negative ions.
intransitive: dissociate + into + ions
The strong acid dissociates completely in solution, releasing hydrogen ions into the water.
At very high temperatures, the chemical compound dissociates into two separate molecules.
The chemist measured how much of the salt dissociates when heated to five hundred degrees.
Water molecules can dissociate into hydrogen and hydroxide ions in a reversible reaction.
- split
less technical; for everyday descriptions of breaking apart
- separate
more general; works for many kinds of division
- break down
describes decomposition into simpler components
文法句型
dissociate + into + noun
用法筆記
Technical term used mainly in chemistry and biochemistry. Unlike sense 1, the preposition that follows is typically 'into' (dissociate into components) rather than 'from'.