Word
Definition
v. to mix a solid into a liquid until it becomes part of the liquid and disappears. It can also mean to officially end a group or an agreement.
v. to cause a solid to pass into solution; to bring to an end a formal assembly, partnership, or legal relationship.
Examples
“Stir the water until the sugar starts to dissolve.”
“The board of directors voted to dissolve the partnership after several years of declining profits.”
“In parliamentary systems, the head of state may dissolve the legislature to trigger an early election, effectively ending the current session and resetting the political mandate.”
Examples
simple
“Stir the water until the sugar starts to dissolve.”
contextual
“The board of directors voted to dissolve the partnership after several years of declining profits.”
complex
“In parliamentary systems, the head of state may dissolve the legislature to trigger an early election, effectively ending the current session and resetting the political mandate.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “dissolve” in context.
Verb
01. dissolve into laughter
“The tension in the room broke when the entire audience dissolved into laughter.”
verb + prep + noun
02. dissolve parliament
“The Prime Minister has the authority to dissolve parliament and call for an early election.”
verb + noun
03. dissolve the partnership
“After years of disagreement, the two founders decided to dissolve the partnership.”
verb + noun
04. dissolve the sugar in water
“You should dissolve the sugar in warm water before adding the other ingredients.”
verb + noun + prep + noun
Noun
05. decision to dissolve
“The board's decision to dissolve the subsidiary was met with significant resistance.”
noun + infinitive
Adverb
06. completely dissolve
“Wait until the tablets have completely dissolved before drinking the solution.”
adv + verb
07. gradually dissolve
“The social barriers between the two communities began to gradually dissolve over time.”
adv + verb
Usage
The verb is both transitive and intransitive. When used in a legal context, it typically takes a direct object such as 'marriage', 'partnership', or 'parliament'.
Pitfall
The sugar was dissolved into the water.
The sugar dissolved in the water.
While 'was dissolved' is grammatically possible, 'dissolve' is commonly used as an ergative verb where the substance itself is the subject.
Real-World Examples
“We asked them to demonstrate how to correctly dissolve the semaglutide powder, draw it up into a syringe and inject it into a mannequin’s arm or belly.” “When magma becomes superheated, it can dissolve the tiny crystal seeds that normally trigger crystallization, allowing the molten rock to remain fluid far longer as it rises.” “He chose a type of filler - hyaluronic acid - that is temporary so he knew that even if he hated the look it would "eventually just dissolve".” Etymology
Recorded since c. 1374 (displacing Old English toliesan) as Middle English dissolven, from Latin dissolvere (“to loosen up, break apart”) but with the sense from Anglo-Norman dissoldre (variant of Old French dissoudre), itself from dis- (“apart”) + solvere (“to loose, loosen”). By surface analysis, dis- + solve.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/dissolve
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0