dispair

D2I1S1P3A1I1R1
/ˌdɪsˈpɛə(ɹ)/

verb

To separate (a pair).

“dispaired twins”

Similar
unpairdecoupleuncouple
UncommonScrabble 10
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Meanings

verbdispair (third-person singular simple present dispairs, present participle dispairing, simple past and past participle dispaired)

present singular third person dispairs · participle present dispairing · participle past dispaired · past dispaired

  1. transitiveuncommonTo separate (a pair).

    dispaired twins

    2 more examples

    Near-synonyms: unpair; decouple, uncouple

    Forgive me, Lady, I have deſtroyed Gerrard, and thee; rebell'd againſt heavens ordinance; diſ-pair'd two doves, made 'em ſit mourning; [...]

    c. 1608–1613, Nathan Field, John Fletcher, “Four Playes, or Morall Representations, in One”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1647, →OCLC, [The Triumph of Love, scene v], page 37, column 1

    Synonyms: unpair, decouple, uncouple

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo separate (a pair).

Similar
unpairdecoupleuncouple
Also see
decoupleuncoupleunpair

Origin

From dis- + pair.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Spanish desparejar
  • desparejarTranslations

Rhymes & wordplay

Sounds the same

(weak vowel merger) despair
Cite this entry
APA

dispair. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dispair

MLA

“dispair.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dispair. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “dispair,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dispair.

Source: dispair on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.