unite
1 Americanverb (used with object)
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to join, combine, or incorporate so as to form a single whole or unit.
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to cause to adhere.
to unite two pieces of wood with glue.
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to cause to be in a state of mutual sympathy, or to have a common opinion or attitude.
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to have or exhibit in union or combination.
a person who unites generosity and forgiveness.
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to join in marriage.
verb (used without object)
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to become joined together or combined so as to form a single whole.
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to act in concert or agreement.
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to share a common opinion, attitude, etc.
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to be joined by or as if by adhesion.
noun
verb
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to make or become an integrated whole or a unity; combine
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to join, unify or be unified in purpose, action, beliefs, etc
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to enter or cause to enter into an association or alliance
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to adhere or cause to adhere; fuse
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(tr) to possess or display (qualities) in combination or at the same time
he united charm with severity
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archaic to join or become joined in marriage
noun
Usage
What are other ways to say unite? To unite is to combine or incorporate two or more things so as to form a single whole or unit. How is unite different from connect and join? Find out on Thesaurus.com.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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nonunitingadjective
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nonuniteableadjective
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ununitingadjective
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uniteableadjective
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unitableadjective
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uniternoun
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nonunitableadjective
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ununitableadjective
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have unitedperfect
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has unitedperfect 3rd person singular
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am unitingprogressive 1st person singular
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is unitingprogressive 3rd person singular
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have been unitingperfect progressive
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unitessingular 3rd person
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are unitingprogressive
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unitingparticiple
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has been unitingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
Past
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had unitedperfect
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was unitingprogressive singular
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were unitingprogressive plural
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had been unitingperfect progressive
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unitedsimple
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unitedparticiple
Future
Etymology
Origin of unite1
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English uniten, from Latin ūnītus, past participle of ūnīre “to join together, unite,” equivalent to ūn(us) “one” + -ītus -ite 1
Origin of unite2
First recorded in 1595–1605; noun use of earlier past participle of unite 1, referring to union of England and Scotland
Explanation
Use the verb unite to describe two or more things merging into one, like several angry citizens who unite to form a political group. If two countries come together to form one country, they unite. This happened in 1990 when East Germany and West Germany merged into one united Germany. If several people act as one, joining for a common goal, they also unite. The word has been used in English since the fifteenth century, and it came from the Latin unitus, "to unite," which in turn has its roots in unus, which means "one."
Vocabulary lists containing unite
Common Five-letter Words for Wordle, List 4
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Medieval Christendom, Lessons 1–2
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Chapter 5: The American Revolution, Lessons 3–5
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But Fally Ipupa, who has also worked as a Unicef ambassador and philanthropist, maintains that his number-one mission is to unite rather than divide.
From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026
David Quitian, an anthropologist specializing in sports, told AFP said De la Espriella was seeking to unite "sporting passion with political passion."
From Barron's • Jun. 1, 2026
Many contain new particles called “leptoquarks” that unite the two different types of matter: “leptons” and “quarks.”
From Science Daily • May 26, 2026
As they scrolled through social media posts about the governor’s race, they found a cause to unite them.
From Los Angeles Times • May 24, 2026
When the Europeans actually arrived, the battered, fragmented cultures could not unite to resist the incursion.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
