Word
unify
Phoneticsuni·fy
US/ˈjunəˌfaɪ/
UK/jˈuːnɪfˌaɪ/
Definitions
01to bring together
B2 · Upper Intermediate Academic
v. to join different things or groups together so they become one single thing.
v. to cause separate entities to become a single unit. Transitive — requires a direct object representing the parts being merged.
“The new leader hoped to unify the country after years of fighting.”
“The proposed legislation aims to unify the various regional transport authorities into a single national body to improve efficiency.”
Synonyms
02to become one
C1 · Advanced Academic · Formal
v. to come together and start acting or existing as one group.
v. to become a single unit or act in concert. Intransitive — the subject itself undergoes the change.
日本語:統合する※
“The two small political parties decided to unify before the next election.”
“Despite their historical differences, the local tribes began to unify against the common threat of the invading army.”
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “unify” in context.
Verb
01. attempt to unify the diverse perspectives
“The professor's lecture attempted to unify the diverse perspectives into a coherent theory.”
verb + infinitive
02. seek to unify the factions
“The mediator will seek to unify the factions before the next round of negotiations begins.”
verb + infinitive
03. unify and strengthen the community
“The annual festival serves to unify and strengthen the community through shared cultural traditions.”
verb + and + verb
Noun
04. desire to unify the fragmented market
“The CEO expressed a strong desire to unify the fragmented market under their brand.”
noun + infinitive
05. effort to unify the party
“Despite the recent scandal, there is a concerted effort to unify the party ahead of the election.”
noun + infinitive
Adverb
06. formally unify the two entities
“The board of directors voted to formally unify the two entities into a global corporation.”
adv + verb + noun
07. successfully unify the country
“The new leader managed to successfully unify the country after years of civil unrest.”
adv + verb + noun
08. unify under a single banner
“The disparate rebel groups decided to unify under a single banner to increase their political influence.”
verb + prep + adj + noun
Usage
The verb is transitive and takes a direct object; it often appears in the passive voice when describing political or social movements.
Pitfall
The two companies unified into one.
The two companies merged into one.
While 'unify' describes the act of making things one, 'merge' is more common for business entities becoming a single legal body.
Real-World Examples
“Discontent is testing President Ahmed al-Sharaa's ability to unify a country emerging from 14 years of conflict.” “Germanidis said the company plans to unify the three models into one generalized model later.” Etymology
From Middle French unifier, from Late Latin unificare.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
ADJECTIVE
- 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
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/unify
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0