dismiss

American  

[dis-mis] / dɪsˈmɪs /

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.

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dismiss British  

/ 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

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

Related Words

See release.

Other Word Forms

• dismissible adjective
• dismissive adjective
• predismiss verb (used with object)
• redismiss verb (used with object)
• undismissed adjective

Etymology

Origin of dismiss

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”

Explanation

At the end of a lesson period, your teacher says, "class dismissed." This means that you and the rest of the students are free to go. Dismiss means to let go. If a judge dismisses a case, it means he's saying it has no merit, and is throwing it out of court. If you are dismissed from your job, it means you've been fired. And if you've been ignoring your friends' warnings that your boyfriend is cheating, you've been dismissing their concerns. "Don't dismiss me!" is something you say when the person you're talking to is not taking you and your comments seriously.

Example Sentences

Still, DoubleLine founder and CEO Jeffrey Gundlach, a noted bond investor, wouldn’t dismiss the possibility of the Treasury forcing a reduction some day in the future in the interest coupons it pays bondholders.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

Ghassemieh’s motion to dismiss stated that Braemar produced no evidence that its critics collaborated.

From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026

Increasingly, it is becoming harder to dismiss an energy-driven inflation-shock scenario.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

The brief unsigned order from the Supreme Court cited "the pending motion to dismiss the indictment".

From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026

No concrete evidence exists that the first event caused the second, but the coincidence in timing is hard to dismiss.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Related Words

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