dismember
verb
dis·mem·ber
(ˌ)dis-ˈmem-bər 
dismembered; dismembering
(ˌ)dis-ˈmem-b(ə-)riŋ
1
: to cut off or disjoin the limbs, members, or parts of
2
: to break up or tear into pieces
Synonyms
Examples of dismember in a Sentence
The victims' bodies had been dismembered and buried in the basement.
quickly dismembered the old toolshed and hauled it off to the dump
Recent Examples on the Web
Today, the idea of intentionally dismembering and displaying human body parts can seem shocking, even repulsive.
—
Therese Cory, The Conversation, 28 Jan. 2025
The body had not been dismembered and was found hidden under the bed, cops said.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 15 Jan. 2025
The homicide case against Maxwell Anderson, accused of brutally killing and dismembering a Milwaukee college student, remains on pace for a Dec. 9 trial date, said a prosecutor who plans to screen a larger-than-normal jury pool for the high-profile case.
—Chris Ramirez, Journal Sentinel, 24 Oct. 2024
Walshe, 49, of Cohasset, is accused of murdering his wife Ana Walshe, dismembering her body on New Years 2023 and hiding it in dumpsters around Greater Boston.
—Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 9 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for dismember 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Therese Cory, The Conversation, 28 Jan. 2025
The body had not been dismembered and was found hidden under the bed, cops said.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 15 Jan. 2025
The homicide case against Maxwell Anderson, accused of brutally killing and dismembering a Milwaukee college student, remains on pace for a Dec. 9 trial date, said a prosecutor who plans to screen a larger-than-normal jury pool for the high-profile case.
—Chris Ramirez, Journal Sentinel, 24 Oct. 2024
Walshe, 49, of Cohasset, is accused of murdering his wife Ana Walshe, dismembering her body on New Years 2023 and hiding it in dumpsters around Greater Boston.
—Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 9 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for dismember
Dictionary Entries Near dismember
Cite this Entry
“Dismember.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dismember. Accessed 8 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dismember
verb
dis·mem·ber
(ˈ)dis-ˈmem-bər
dismembered; dismembering
-b(ə-)riŋ
1
: to cut off or separate the limbs or parts of
2
: to break up or tear into pieces
Medical Definition
dismember
transitive verb
dis·mem·ber
(ˈ)dis-ˈmem-bər
dismembered; dismembering
-b(ə-)riŋ
: to cut off or disjoin the limbs, members, or parts of
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share