dispose

American  

[dih-spohz] / dɪˈspoʊz /

verb (used with object)

• disposes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• disposed,
  past participle,  past
• disposing
  present participle

1. to give a tendency or inclination to; incline.

   His temperament disposed him to argue readily with people.

2. to put in a particular or the proper order or arrangement; adjust by arranging the parts.

3. to put in a particular or suitable place.

   The lamp was disposed on a table nearby.

4. to make fit or ready; prepare.

   Your words of cheer dispose me for the task.

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verb (used without object)

• disposes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• disposed,
  past participle,  past
• disposing
  present participle

1. to arrange or decide matters.

   to do as God disposes.

2. Obsolete. to make terms.

noun

1. Archaic. disposition; habit.

2. Obsolete. arrangement; regulation; disposal.

verb phrase

1. dispose of

   1. to deal with conclusively; settle.

   2. to get rid of; discard.

   3. to transfer or give away, as by gift or sale.

   4. to do away with; destroy.

dispose British  

/ dɪˈspəʊz /

verb

1. 1. to deal with or settle

   2. to give, sell, or transfer to another

   3. to throw out or away

   4. to consume, esp hurriedly

   5. to kill

2. to arrange or settle (matters) by placing into correct or final condition

   man proposes, God disposes

3. (tr) to make willing or receptive

4. (tr) to adjust or place in a certain order or position

5. to accustom or condition

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noun

1. an obsolete word for disposal disposition

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• disposer
  noun
• redispose
  verb (used with object)
• disposingly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• disposing
  present
• disposed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• dispose
  simple
• disposes
  simple
• have disposed
  perfect
• has disposed
  perfect
• am disposing
  progressive
• are disposing
  progressive
• is disposing
  progressive
• have been disposing
  perfect progressive
• has been disposing
  perfect progressive

Past

• disposed
  simple
• had disposed
  perfect
• was disposing
  progressive
• were disposing
  progressive
• had been disposing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will dispose
  simple
• will have disposed
  perfect
• will be disposing
  progressive
• will have been disposing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of dispose

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Middle French disposer, equivalent to dis- dis- ¹ + poser “to place” ( see pose ¹), on the model of Latin dispōnere

Explanation

If you dispose of something, you get rid of it. Don't want that sweatshirt with the clown's face on it? Give it away, throw it out, even sell it — these are all ways to dispose of that awful shirt. The verb dispose comes from the Latin word disponere, meaning “put in order,” “arrange,” or “distribute" — like when you dispose volunteers to collect trash at a park. The word of usually follows dispose when it means "getting rid of something." Another meaning is "make willing or open to something," like your childhood love of reading that disposes you to becoming a life-long reader.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

dispose disposes disposed disposing

Jegede said if the leaves or fruit are too delicate to wash or ash is still visible, it would be best to dispose of the produce.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026

Waste companies have called for a deposit of up to £5 to be charged on vapes to encourage people to dispose of them properly.

From BBC ● Jun. 1, 2026

“One of my heirs will have to dispose of it because I’m never selling it,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 31, 2026

This system helps cells correctly build, maintain, and dispose of proteins.

From Science Daily ● May 29, 2026

I was proud of my discovery and asked a senior officer on the gallery how to dispose of it and what infraction number to place on the Misbehavior Report.

From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover

A senior administration official Sunday detailed a three-part framework in which Iran reopens the Strait of Hormuz and disposes of its enriched uranium while the U.S. unwinds its blockade in Iranian ports.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 26, 2026

But instead of deciding the case at the end of June when the court ordinarily disposes of the cases heard during the term, the court set the case up for re-argument.

From Slate ● Aug. 4, 2025

Do they think there is some sort of pickup service that comes along and disposes of their carefully collected excrement?

From Seattle Times ● May 3, 2024

St. Damien has scheduled her first pickup with Ridwell, a subscription service that picks up and disposes of hard-to-recycle trash.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 15, 2024

Collectively, the Party owns everything in Oceania, because it controls everything and disposes of the products as it thinks fit.

From "1984" by George Orwell

The anonymous player disposed of the ticket in a shop in Bitonto, southern Italy, after checking his numbers and being told it was "non-payable".

From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026

“For far too long, tow companies have sold or disposed of servicemembers’ vehicles in violation of federal law,” Assistant Atty.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026

Conventional desalination produces liquid brine that must be treated, disposed of, or discharged into the environment.

From Science Daily ● May 31, 2026

With much of Iran’s pre-war leadership dead, Washington is grappling with the possibility that the country’s new leaders may be even less disposed to compromise.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 20, 2026

They had lowered the portcullis, to keep the village boys out, and they were disposed to treat the fugitive with kindness.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White

Properly collecting and disposing of spent fireworks could help reduce these environmental effects.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 4, 2026

It makes much of its money on water that those companies need to use in their operations, and by recycling and disposing of that water.

From Barron's ● May 14, 2026

The team is focused on what is known as “embodied carbon”—the emissions produced during the entire life cycle of construction, including manufacturing, transporting, installing and disposing of materials.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 8, 2026

When an Augusta member died, left the club or simply wanted a new green jacket, Bennett was responsible for disposing of the old garments.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 12, 2026

As soon as the rovers were unstowed and activated, Commander Lewis had the joy of disposing of the RTG.

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir

Related Words

• adapt
• incline
• predispose
• tempt