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
• 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

“The focus during the results will be the signing of the already announced plans to dispose of the ContiTech division as well as the potential distribution of the proceeds in FY26.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 23, 2026

Passing the bill would also start to relieve a logjam of legislation that Congress is seeking to dispose of before its August recess and the November midterm elections.

From Barron's • Jun. 16, 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

People who bought the affected product should not eat the product and should dispose of it as soon as possible.

From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 2026

“We freeze our specimens before we dispose of them in the incinerator. It helps cut down the odors if we control decomposition.”

From "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes

Related Words

• adapt
• incline
• predispose
• tempt