disposal

¹ American  

[dih-spoh-zuhl] / dɪˈspoʊ zəl /

noun

1. an act or instance of disposing; arrangement.

   the disposal of the troops.

2. a disposing of or getting rid of something.

   the disposal of waste material.

3. a disposing or allotting of, as by gift or sale; bestowal or assignment.

   She left no will to indicate the disposal of her possessions.

4. power or right to dispose of a thing; control.

   left at his disposal.

   Synonyms:

   management, direction, command

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disposal ² American  

[dih-spoh-zuhl] / dɪˈspoʊ zəl /

noun

1. an electrical device in the drain of a sink, for grinding up garbage to be washed down the drain.

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disposal British  

/ dɪˈspəʊzəl /

noun

1. the act or means of getting rid of something

2. placement or arrangement in a particular order

3. a specific method of tending to matters, as in business

4. the act or process of transferring something to or providing something for another

5. the power or opportunity to make use of someone or something (esp in the phrase at one's disposal )

6. a means of destroying waste products, as by grinding into particles

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disposal Idioms  

1. see put at someone's disposal.

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Etymology

Origin of disposal¹

First recorded in 1620–30; dispose + -al ²

Origin of disposal²

Short for garbage-disposal; see disposal ¹

Explanation

Disposal means getting rid of something, or throwing it away. When you go on a picnic, be sure to have a bag for the disposal of your trash afterward, or you will be a terrible litterbug. You can use a garbage disposal, a grinder in your sink drain that allows you to wash down certain waste items without causing clogs, for the disposal of vegetable scraps. In addition to meaning "getting rid of something," disposal can also mean "the power or means to accomplish something." If you have a fleet of limousines at your disposal, it's easy to get a large number of guests to a wedding.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

disposal

“Sweating is the most powerful mechanism our body has at its disposal to cool us down,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026

The analysts expect more than $6 billion in additional disposal proceeds in 2027, which could give it cash for buybacks, they say.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026

For the last 19 years, student-loan lender Sallie Mae has commissioned a study on how families marshal all the economic forces at their disposal to pay for college.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 12, 2026

The quadcopter was discovered at Leipzig airport late on Tuesday night, forcing one runway into lockdown as a bomb disposal robot rolled into action.

From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026

The effectiveness of this levy is beyond any doubt: Appian reports that Ptolemy II Philadelphus had at his disposal as many as 200,000 infantry, 40,000 cavalry, 300 elephants, and a fleet of 1,500 triremes.

From "Circumference" by Nicholas Nicastro

Related Words

• clearance
• demolition
• destruction
• disposition
• dumping
• removal
• transfer