dispel
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to drive off in various directions; disperse; dissipate.
to dispel the dense fog.
- Antonyms:
- gather
-
to cause to vanish; alleviate.
to dispel her fears.
verb
Related Words
See scatter.
Other Word Forms
- dispellable adjective
- dispeller noun
- undispellable adjective
- undispelled adjective
Etymology
Origin of dispel
First recorded in 1625–35; from Latin dispellere “to drive asunder,” equivalent to dis- dis- 1 + pellere “to drive”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The medical students were able to dispel rumors some women had heard: The test doesn’t damage breast tissue, nor do the X-rays increase cancer risk.
From Los Angeles Times
I rolled my neck from side to side in an attempt to dispel the feeling as I watched myself spot the Butterfly and exit my seat at the theater.
From Literature
"If they do, they finish the ride then go to the back of their car and spit three times to dispel the bad luck," he says.
From BBC
In a recent blog post, Yardeni characterizes the current worries as ”AI derangement,” a fear that eventually will be dispelled.
From MarketWatch
The results will do nothing to dispel the negative sentiment plaguing shares, which have tumbled 50% over the past year.
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
