uncouple

[ uhn-kuhp-uhl ]

verb (used with object)

, un·cou·pled, un·cou·pling.

1. to release the coupling or link between; disconnect; let go:

   to uncouple railroad cars.

2. to end (a romantic relationship or marriage):

   Their marriage was uncoupled by financial problems.

verb (used without object)

, un·cou·pled, un·cou·pling.

1. to become unfastened; let go:

   The glider uncoupled from the tow plane.

2. to end a romantic relationship or marriage:

   My sister and her boyfriend have uncoupled after ten years together.

3. (of a romantic relationship or marriage) to end.

uncouple

/ ʌnˈkʌpəl /

verb

1. to disconnect or unfasten or become disconnected or unfastened
2. tr to set loose; release

Word History and Origins

Origin of uncouple¹

1300–50; Middle English unco ( u ) plen; un- ², couple

Example Sentences

More fundamentally, the Republican Party has uncoupled itself completely from the notion that the purpose of government is to promote the security, liberties and prosperity of the people it represents.

From Salon

If the web makes it easy to uncouple sights and sounds from their sources, what will people remember of stations’ four-letter identifiers, those signifiers of pride and place, the call signs?

From Los Angeles Times

But rather than dying, the fibers retracted, uncoupling from the heart muscle.

From Science Magazine

"But in economics, we know that if payments are directly tied to penalties, that's restrictive, and it can't be optimal. So, we said, let's uncouple them and see what solution would happen."

From Science Daily

In cancer cells, however, we often observe that subdomains uncouple, resulting in erroneous attachments and chromosome segregation errors.'

From Science Daily