dismiss

[ dis-mis ]

verb (used with object)

1. to direct (an assembly of persons) to disperse or go:

   I dismissed the class early.

2. to bid or allow (a person) to go; give permission or a request to depart.

   Antonyms: recall

3. to discharge or remove, as from office or service:

   to dismiss an employee.

   Synonyms: fire

   Antonyms: hire

4. to discard or reject:

   to dismiss a suitor.

   Antonyms: accept

5. to put off or away, especially from consideration; put aside; reject:

   She dismissed the story as mere rumor.

6. to have done with (a subject) after summary treatment:

   After a perfunctory discussion, he dismissed the idea.

7. Law. to put out of court, as a complaint or appeal.

dismiss

/ dɪsˈmɪs /

verb

1. to remove or discharge from employment or service
2. to send away or allow to go or disperse
3. to dispel from one's mind; discard; reject
4. to cease to consider (a subject)

   they dismissed the problem

5. to decline further hearing to (a claim or action)

   the judge dismissed the case

6. cricket to bowl out (a side) for a particular number of runs

sentence substitute

1. military an order to end an activity or give permission to disperse

Derived Forms

• disˈmissible, adjective
• disˈmissive, adjective

Other Words From

• dis·missi·ble adjective
• predis·miss verb (used with object)
• redis·miss verb (used with object)
• undis·missed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of dismiss¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Medieval Latin dismissus, from Latin dīmissus “sent away,” past participle of dīmittere “to send away,” from Latin dī, variant of dis- dis- ¹ + mitt(ere) “to let go, send”

Word History and Origins

Origin of dismiss¹

C15: from Medieval Latin dismissus sent away, variant of Latin dīmissus, from dīmittere, from dī- dis- ¹+ mittere to send

Synonym Study

See release.

Example Sentences

But his critique of the vaccine safety regime has been roundly dismissed by experts.

From BBC

Another man was convicted for her murder, but in 2016, a judge dismissed those charges after deciding prosecutors could “no longer prove the murder case” against him beyond a reasonable doubt.

From Los Angeles Times

And his plans to fire agency employees en masse will run into federal protections and the slow process for dismissing government workers.

From Science Magazine

But Jacqueline Simon, the policy director of the American Federation of Government Employees, the largest union of federal government workers, does not dismiss the assertions out of hand.

From New York Times

A serving Metropolitan Police officer has been dismissed for gross misconduct after accessing files relating to Sarah Everard's murder without reason.

From BBC

Related Words

• depose
• discharge
• disqualify
• fire
• impeach
• let go
• oust
• recall
• retire
• sack
• suspend
• terminate