unify
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
to join different things or groups together so they become one single thing.
to cause separate entities to become a single unit. Transitive — requires a direct object representing the parts being merged.
Simple“The new leader hoped to unify the country after years of fighting.”
In context“The proposed legislation aims to unify the various regional transport authorities into a single national body to improve efficiency.”
UsageOften used in political or organizational contexts with a direct object.
- 02 C1 Advanced
to come together and start acting or existing as one group.
to become a single unit or act in concert. Intransitive — the subject itself undergoes the change.
Simple“The two small political parties decided to unify before the next election.”
In context“Despite their historical differences, the local tribes began to unify against the common threat of the invading army.”
UsageUsed without a direct object when the subjects are joining together voluntarily.
“Germanidis said the company plans to unify the three models into one generalized model later.”
From Middle French unifier, from Late Latin unificare.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.