dispel

[dih-spel]

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verb (used with object), dis·pelled, dis·pel·ling.

to drive off in various directions; disperse; dissipate: to dispel the dense fog.
to cause to vanish; alleviate: to dispel her fears.

Origin of dispel

1625–35; < Latin dispellere to drive asunder, equivalent to dis- dis-¹ + pellere to drive

Related formsdis·pel·la·ble, adjectivedis·pel·ler, nounun·dis·pel·la·ble, adjectiveun·dis·pelled, adjective

Synonyms for dispel

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1, 2. See scatter.

Antonyms for dispel

1. gather.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for dispel

resolve, dismiss, dissipate, disperse, allay, eliminate, oust, disband, eject, expel, disintegrate, rout, distribute, scramble, repel, deploy, cancel, crumble, scatter, banish

Examples from the Web for dispel

Contemporary Examples of dispel

The police themselves do little to dispel or discourage this lionized portrayal.
Prosecutor Used Grand Jury to Let Darren Wilson Walk
Tom Nolan
November 28, 2014
He does, however, attempt to dispel some of the myths that have emerged from hearsay and rumor over the last century.
How WWI Produced the Holocaust
J.P. O’Malley
November 21, 2014
Swiss leaders also dispel the “slippery slope” idea by repeatedly rejecting substantial minimum wage increases.
To Make Their Victory Durable, the GOP Must Fix the Minimum Wage
Dmitri Mehlhorn
November 6, 2014
But one look at the film is enough to dispel all notions of Svengali.
The Legend With The Look: Remembering Lauren Bacall
Teo Bugbee
August 13, 2014
There is no questioning their fellowship and effort to dispel misplaced preconceptions.
A Report From the Misunderstood Gathering of the Juggalos
Steve Miller
July 28, 2014

Historical Examples of dispel

But the lapse of a few months will confirm or dispel their fears.
United States Presidents' Inaugural Speeches
Various
Whatever we do, we cannot dispel the darkness by a frenzied denunciation of war.
Mountain Meditations
L. Lind-af-Hageby
The force of an idea is threatening to dispel the force of arms.
Mountain Meditations
L. Lind-af-Hageby
I prayed and prayed, and prayed again to my god to dispel your work.
Things as They Are
Amy Wilson-Carmichael
It told her of the existence of proofs that must dispel all doubt.
The Sea-Hawk
Raphael Sabatini

British Dictionary definitions for dispel

dispel

verb -pels, -pelling or -pelled

(tr) to disperse or drive away

Derived Formsdispeller, noun

Word Origin for dispel

C17: from Latin dispellere, from dis- 1 + pellere to drive

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for dispel

c.1400, dispelen, from Latin dispellere "drive apart," from dis- "away" (see dis-) + pellere "to drive, push" (see pulse (n.1)). Since the meaning is "to drive away in different directions" it should not have as an object a single, indivisible thing (you can dispel suspicion, but not an accusation). Related: Dispelled; dispelling.