Disabuse
/ˌdɪsəˈbjuːz/
verbC1
Definition
To disabuse someone means to free them from a false idea or wrong belief. It is when you explain or show the truth so that the person stops believing something that is not correct. It is often used when someone has a misunderstanding or a wrong opinion.
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See It in Action
To free someone from a false belief or misunderstanding
- •She disabused him of the idea that money can buy happiness.
- •The guide disabused tourists of the myth about the haunted castle.
- •Parents should disabuse children of dangerous myths early.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "disabuse" like "correct," but stronger because it removes a wrong idea completely, not just fixes a small mistake
- ✓Picture someone taking off dark glasses that made everything look wrong, so now they see clearly
- ✓It's the feeling when you learn the truth after believing something wrong for a long time
- ✓Sounds like "dis-ab-use" → imagine stopping a bad use of a wrong idea by removing it
- ✓Imagine a teacher explaining carefully to a student that their idea about a fact is wrong and showing the real truth
- ✓NOT like "ignore" (pretend something is true or don't think about it), disabuse means actively removing a wrong belief
- ✓NOT like "argue" (fight with words), disabuse is more about gently teaching or explaining the truth
- ✓NOT like "confuse" (make unclear), disabuse is to make clear and correct wrong thinking
Try Other Words
- •Enlighten: to give someone more knowledge or understanding (Use when focusing on giving new, true information)
- •Inform: to tell someone facts or news (Use in general situations where you just give information)
- •Debunk: to show that a belief or idea is false (Use when exposing false ideas, often myths or rumors)
- •Correct: to fix a mistake (Use when the error is small or simple)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: prefix "dis-" (not, opposite) + root "abuse" (wrong use or wrong belief)
- •Etymology: From Latin "disabūsāre" meaning to free from deception or wrong belief
- •Historical development: Used since the 1600s in English to mean freeing someone from false ideas or mistakes
- •Modern usage: Used mainly in formal or written language to talk about correcting wrong beliefs or ideas
- •Key insight: It means to remove a wrong idea, not just to correct small errors
Reflect & Connect
•Can you think of a time when someone had to disabuse you of a wrong idea? How did that feel?
•How is disabusing someone different from just telling them they are wrong?
Fill in the blanks
1.She tried to disabuse him of the ___ that the earth is flat by showing scientific facts.
2.When you disabuse someone, you help them understand the ___ instead of the false idea.
3.Unlike simple correction, disabuse means to completely ___ a wrong belief.
4.The teacher disabused the students of the ___ that math is too hard to learn.
5.People often resist when others try to disabuse them because they ___ their beliefs strongly.
6.To disabuse someone, you usually need good ___ and clear explanations.
7.After being disabused, he felt ___ because he finally knew the truth.