What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
dissociate
Example
She decided to dissociate herself from the political party due to their controversial policies. [dissociate: verb]
Example
He tried to dissociate his emotions from the traumatic event to avoid reliving it. [dissociating: gerund or present participle]
separate
Example
She used a knife to separate the cake into equal slices. [separate: verb]
Example
The wall was built to separate the two countries. [separate: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Separate is more commonly used than dissociate in everyday language. Separate is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while dissociate is less common and often used in more specific fields or situations.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between dissociate and separate?
Both dissociate and separate can be used in formal or informal contexts, but dissociate may be perceived as more formal due to its less common usage and specific connotations.
