disown
verb
dis·own
(ˌ)dis-ˈōn 
disowned; disowning; disowns
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
Synonyms
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
In 2012, my father, family, and community disowned me.
—
Loubna Mrie, The Atlantic, 20 Dec. 2024
After immigrating to Seattle in 1968, his parents disowned him.
—Chloe Sorvino, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
This came as a blow to his wife, and precipitated their divorce; and proved the last straw for his parents, who disowned him.
—The Week Uk, theweek, 13 Oct. 2024
His family, with the exception of Kayce, has basically disowned him.
—Jackie Strause, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for disown 
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.
Loubna Mrie, The Atlantic, 20 Dec. 2024
After immigrating to Seattle in 1968, his parents disowned him.
—Chloe Sorvino, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
This came as a blow to his wife, and precipitated their divorce; and proved the last straw for his parents, who disowned him.
—The Week Uk, theweek, 13 Oct. 2024
His family, with the exception of Kayce, has basically disowned him.
—Jackie Strause, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for disown
Dictionary Entries Near disown
Cite this Entry
“Disown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disown. Accessed 1 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
disown
verb
dis·own
(ˈ)dis-ˈōn
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share