dispensable

adjective

dis·​pens·​able di-ˈspen(t)-sə-bəl How to pronounce dispensable (audio)
Synonyms of dispensablenext
: capable of being dispensed with
dispensability
di-ˌspen(t)-sə-ˈbi-lə-tē How to pronounce dispensable (audio)
noun

Synonyms of dispensable

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Examples of dispensable in a Sentence

Computers have made typewriters dispensable. Do you consider any of the staff to be dispensable?
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
These children are cannon fodder, dispensable pawns in someone else’s war. — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2025 Takeoff is booster assisted, and landing is achieved with parachutes combined with dispensable airbags. — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 23 Nov. 2025 Ornaments are no more dispensable than foundations. — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 23 Apr. 2026 The 23-year-old has the kind of athleticism Green has not possessed in a decade, but that does not mean Green’s skillset is dispensable. — Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for dispensable

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French & Medieval Latin; Middle French, borrowed from Medieval Latin dispensābilis "susceptible of dispensation," from Latin dispensāre "to pay out, dispense" + -bilis "capable (of acting) or worthy of (being acted upon)" — more at -able

First Known Use

1649, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dispensable was in 1649

Rhymes for dispensable

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Browse Nearby Words

dispensability
dispensable
dispensary
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Cite this Entry

“Dispensable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dispensable. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on dispensable

Nglish: Translation of dispensable for Spanish Speakers

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