verb
disown
dihs-OHN
verb
1
To refuse to acknowledge someone, especially a family member, as belonging to you anymore.
"His parents threatened to disown him if he dropped out of school."
2
To deny any connection with or responsibility for something.
"The company quickly disowned the rogue employee's comments."
How to Use Disown
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo cut ties with someone or something and refuse to claim them as yours anymore.
Common pairings
disown a child
publicly disown
Word Forms
disowned past tense, disowns singular
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His parents threatened to _____ him if he dropped out of school.
Etymology
From dis- + own, literally meaning "to stop claiming as one's own."