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Definition of disown

disown

/dɪsˈoʊn/
dis · own
Adjective:disowned
•
Past Simple:disowned
•
Past Participle:disowned
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Present Participle:disowning
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disown Lexical Profile

disown Game Scores & Validity

• verb

1

To refuse to acknowledge or maintain any connection with; to repudiate or cast off (especially a family member or close associate).

Example

"In the nineteenth-century novel, the wealthy patriarch threatened to disown his heir if he married against the family's wishes."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
View all antonyms for disown

• Rhymes for disown

• Nearby Words

disorientation
disoriented
disorienting
disown
disparage
disparagement
disparaging

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in the mid-17th century by combining the privative prefix 'dis-' with the verb 'own' (from Old English 'agnian', meaning to possess or claim as one's own).

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Disown. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/disown
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