dissolve - Master This Word
Master this word with our 5-step learning method – Learn English in English
dissolve Word Meanings
- to make a solid become liquid
- to end an agreement or relationship
- to disappear gradually
dissolve Example Sentences
Example sentences are the start of understanding. Don't rush to memorize. First feel how the word works in a sentence.
dissolve Phonetic & Pronunciation
UK
/dɪˈzɒlv/
US
/dɪˈzɑlv/
dissolve Word Etymology
de- = from, away + solve = loosen. Originated from Latin 'dissolvere' to Old French 'dissolver' leading to English. Imagine a sugar cube slowly breaking down in water, disappearing into sweetness.
Note 1: These definitions and etymologies are not standard dictionary definitions, but extended explanations provided to help with memorization and understanding of the actual application of words. Through this background information, we strive to make words more vivid and easier to understand, and help you remember their meanings in real life.
Note 2: LexiTalk designs the learning flow around the linguistics principle of “Comprehensible Input.” When learners encounter material that is slightly above their level but still understandable from context, the brain naturally absorbs the language. That’s why we keep every word inside authentic contexts, using examples and associations to help you understand it and use it flexibly.
Read the FAQ explanation of Comprehensible InputEnglish Brain Route
I drop a sugar cube into hot tea and hold the spoon, guiding it to move in slow circles. I watch the solid grain loosen, shift, and melt into a clear liquid as the heat does its quiet work. The room stays warm and soft, and I feel a small effort in my wrist as I adjust the rhythm, sensing that this same change can spill into real life—let a plan dissolve and keep moving.
Real Context
Dissolve has three core ideas for English learners: a physical change where a solid becomes part of a liquid, the ending of an agreement or relationship in legal or formal contexts, and a gradual disappearance or blending into something else in metaphorical use. In science, dissolve means a solid is broken down and suspended in a solvent, often helped by stirring or heat. In contracts, partnerships, or marriages, to dissolve means to terminate officially. In everyday speech, things can dissolve into nothingness or into another substance over time. Learners often mix up dissolve with solve, or assume dissolution happens instantly, and they may struggle with actor/agent combinations (what dissolves what). Context and tone matter across registers.
Usage Reminders
- - Dissolve can mean a physical change or ending of an agreement.
- - Don’t confuse dissolve with solve; they’re related but not interchangeable.
- - Use dissolved/dissolving for the state of being in solution.
- - “Dissolve into” often means to fade away or merge into something.
- - Check collocations: dissolve a partnership, dissolve a contract, dissolve in water.
Common Misconceptions
- dissolve = solve
- dissolve always happens instantly
- only used for liquids
- dissolve implies melting
- dissolve is the same as vanish
Thinking Differences
Native English users tend to separate physical dissolution from ending a relationship; learners may think the word always means solving a problem. Emphasize distinct contexts (laboratory vs. legal).
Learning Tips
- Practice both physical and metaphorical uses in context
- Differentiate dissolve from solve and from melt
- Learn key collocations: dissolve a partnership, dissolve in water
- Notice passive and active forms: dissolved, dissolving, dissolves
- Study phrasal usage: dissolve into particles, dissolve into nothingness
- Use mock dialogues to cue appropriate register
5-Step Learning Method - Learn English in English
Step 1: Meaning
What does the word 'dissolve' mean?
A.To break something into pieces without changing its state
B.To increase the size or number of something
C.To mix a solid into a liquid so it becomes part of the liquid
D.To make something stronger or more permanent
Step 2: Usage
Which sentence uses the word correctly?
A.They decided to dissolve the project into a better one
B.When I drop the sugar into the tea and stir, the sugar will dissolve
C.The sculptor plans to dissolve the statue with a chisel
D.He tried to dissolve the marathon by running faster
Step 3: Similar Words
Which word is most similar in meaning to 'dissolve'?
A.strengthen
B.assemble
C.melt
D.declare
Step 4: Opposite Words
Which word is the opposite of 'dissolve'?
A.solidify
B.melt
C.disband
D.erode
Step 5: Mastery
Can you think of a real-life context where using the word would fit?
A.A team of volunteers comes together to start a neighborhood cleanup
B.You cut a cake into several pieces to share with guests
C.You stir a spoonful of salt into hot water until it disappears into the liquid
D.A puddle freezes overnight and becomes a sheet of ice
Related Listening
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