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disinvent

/ˌdɪsɪnˈvɛnt/
IPA guide

Other forms: disinvented; disinventing; disinvents

To disinvent is to undo the invention of something. As much as you might like to, you can't disinvent the concept of homework.

The verb disinvent is unusual in that it's always used in a negative sense. Logically, it's impossible to reverse the creation of something, unless you're writing a science fiction story. So this word is useful for talking about things you wish had never existed: "If only we could disinvent nuclear weapons." Or on challenging days: "Sometimes I wish they'd disinvent the entire idea of siblings!" It comes from dis-, "the opposite of," and invent, "to create."

Definitions of disinvent
  1. verb
    reverse the existence or creation of something, as if it had never existed or been created
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