dispel
Americanverb (used with object)
-
dispels,
present (3rd person singular)
-
dispelled,
past participle, past
-
dispelling
present participle
-
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
Synonym Usage
See scatter.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
dispelsimple
-
dispelssimple
-
have dispelledperfect
-
has dispelledperfect
-
am dispellingprogressive
-
are dispellingprogressive
-
is dispellingprogressive
-
have been dispellingperfect progressive
-
has been dispellingperfect progressive
Past
-
dispelledsimple
-
had dispelledperfect
-
was dispellingprogressive
-
were dispellingprogressive
-
had been dispellingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of dispel
First recorded in 1625–35; from Latin dispellere “to drive asunder,” equivalent to dis- dis- 1 + pellere “to drive”
Explanation
To dispel is to get rid of something that's bothering or threatening you, regardless of whether that's warts, worries, or wild dogs. The nifty thing about dispel is that you can use it when talking about emotional problems (such as worries and fears) as well as physical ones (such as wild dogs). Note, however, that when dispel is used in reference to physical foes, it often has the added meaning of scattering your opponents in all directions. So, while you can dispel a pack of wild dogs, you should just chase off or drive away a lone wolf. Good luck with that, by the way.
Vocabulary lists containing dispel
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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.
See Examples For:
The boots-on-the-ground approach has helped the health department dispel misinformation and build trust with the community, local health officials said.
From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026
No amount of wealth can dispel retirement worries.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 9, 2026
It’s a feeling no cloud can fully dispel.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026
They must have hoped the photos would dispel conspiracy theories that he’s dead, or at least incapacitated.
From Salon ● Aug. 3, 2026
Finally, in a blatant attempt to dispel my foul mood they invited me to go see Three Pennies for Wishing across the river tomorrow evening.
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
What Thompson-Hernández’s art so easily dispels, no matter the genre it finds a home in, are all the knotty, misguided and trite representations of otherness in our contemporary world.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 27, 2026
The report also dispels a common view that guns are mainly owned by rural residents.
From BBC ● Dec. 19, 2025
Jarvis is moral and cognitively aware and dispels our anxieties that the technology could replace or even harm humans, said Chambliss, whose work explores the relationship between comics and culture.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 14, 2025
For trans people like me, having an accurate ID dispels the daily fear of being outed when asked to present identification.
From Slate ● Feb. 21, 2025
This dispels her first embarrassment, and the two begin to talk.
From "All Quiet on the Western Front: A Novel" by Erich Maria Remarque
Through her media prominence and prolific output as an author, with a dozen books to her name, Steinem dispelled the stereotype of the humorless feminist simply by living.
From Salon ● Sep. 3, 2026
The 75-year-old farmer's eyes filled with tears as he walked through his orchard in the village of Vosketap, where a breeze from snowcapped Mount Ararat, across the border in Turkey, dispelled the summer heat.
From Barron's ● Jul. 14, 2026
Twenty-three years after making his senior debut for Portugal, any thoughts Ronaldo-mania might be fading have been dispelled at this World Cup.
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
The ‘CBS Mornings’ co-host dispelled rumors of a possible departure, staying with the network amid a broader overhaul.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 5, 2026
The nationwide miasma of anticommunism, however, was not to be dispelled so easily.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
Regulatory clarity is meanwhile on the horizon, likely dispelling some investor fears, Deutsche’s Harishankar Ramamoorthy says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026
EsDeeKid's video with Oscar-nominated Chalamet racked up 42 million views on TikTok - as well as dispelling the main theory about the rapper's identity.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
Our findings show clear benefits in key areas of healthy ageing, while also dispelling some of the myths surrounding its use.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 5, 2026
A 2024 study by Penn State researchers found that approximately one in eight adults enjoy intensely sour flavors, dispelling claims that extreme tartness is only favored by children.
From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2025
“You can kick both their tails for all I care, but do it somewhere else,” Jim said, dispelling any thought I might have had that he cared anything about me.
From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
