Dissociates

To **dissociate** means to sever the connection between things, particularly those conceptually linked. It involves separating oneself or something else from an association, idea, feeling, or physical connection. This can occur in both a psychological and physical context. It can involve separating facts, ideas, or experiences, often to analyze them separately, or to distance oneself from a traumatic event or uncomfortable situation. Dissociation can also refer to the process of breaking down a complex substance or idea into simpler components or representations.

Dissociates meaning with examples

• After witnessing the accident, Sarah struggled to process what she had seen. Her mind started to **dissociate**, creating a sense of detachment as a coping mechanism to protect herself from the overwhelming trauma. She felt like an observer, watching herself from afar to avoid fully experiencing the horror and pain. This temporary detachment allowed her to eventually seek the help she needed.
• The lawyer, determined to understand the evidence thoroughly, began to **dissociate** the various testimonies, separating each statement to scrutinize for inconsistencies and potential biases. He meticulously analyzed each witness's account from the others to build a clear chronological understanding of events, removing them from the emotional context of the case to discover the truth.
• During his lecture, the professor urged his students to **dissociate** the historical context from the modern relevance of the text. He explained that only once they understood the period could they effectively analyze the literature. He made them do this to avoid anachronistic interpretations that would misrepresent the original author's meaning.
• The company chose to **dissociate** itself from its previous CEO after a scandal, releasing a statement which clarified they had no involvement in the former CEO’s actions and that the company fully disavowed them. The aim was to maintain the company's reputation by breaking links to what could be considered reputational damage to protect shareholder value.
• In chemistry, heating the compound would **dissociate** it into simpler components: the salt and the water. Observing this would give the students the chance to identify its constituent parts, allowing them to understand how the compound formed and to identify the properties of each of its parts through observation and experimentation.