What does disaccustom mean?
'Disaccustom' is a formal English verb meaning to cause someone — often oneself — to lose an established habit or familiarity. Where 'accustom' builds habit, 'disaccustom' dismantles it: years abroad might disaccustom you to harsh winters, or disciplined effort might disaccustom you to procrastination. The word typically appears in reflexive constructions such as 'disaccustom oneself from old routines,' and it carries a deliberate, effortful connotation: habits are not shed casually but through conscious undoing. Formed in the early modern period from the prefix 'dis-' added to 'accustom,' it remains a literary rather than colloquial choice; everyday speakers more often say they are breaking a habit or getting out of one. Its value lies in precision — it names the reverse of habituation, a process common in human life but rarely given its own dedicated word.
verbTo cause (someone or oneself) to lose the habit of something; to withdraw from a state of being accustomed to a thing or practice.
- To cause someone or oneself to cease being accustomed to something; to break a habit of long standing.
"Years abroad gradually disaccustomed her to the cold winters of her hometown."
"Travel disaccustomed him to the comforts of routine."
"It took months to disaccustom herself from checking her phone first thing each morning."
The rare opposite of 'accustom': while we easily form habits, English needed this 16th-century coinage for the much harder act of un-forming them.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of disaccustom
'Disaccustom' was formed in English by adding the negative prefix 'dis-' to the earlier verb 'accustom,' which itself entered Middle English from Old French 'acostumer,' ultimately rooted in 'costume' or custom — the established practice of a community. The word thus literally means to undo one's alignment with customary practice. Its relatives include 'custom,' 'customary,' and 'costume,' all descending from the same Latin root 'consuetudinem,' meaning habit or usage.
How disaccustom is actually used
A formal, somewhat literary word; in everyday speech people usually say 'break the habit of' or 'get out of the habit of' instead. It is most often used reflexively ('disaccustom oneself') and is typically constructed with 'from' or 'to'.
Easily confused with disaccustom
Accustom means to make someone used to something, while disaccustom means the opposite — to remove that familiarity or habit.