DISPEL Synonyms: 27 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'dispel' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of dispel are disperse , dissipate , and scatter . While all these words mean "to cause to separate or break up," dispel stresses a driving away or getting rid of as if by scattering. // an authoritative statement that dispelled all doubt

Q: When would 'disperse' be a good substitute for 'dispel'?

While in some cases nearly identical to dispel , disperse implies a wider separation and a complete breaking up of a mass or group. // police dispersed the crowd

Q: When could 'dissipate' be used to replace 'dispel'?

The words dissipate and dispel can be used in similar contexts, but dissipate stresses complete disintegration or dissolution and final disappearance. // the fog was dissipated by the morning sun

Q: When might 'scatter' be a better fit than 'dispel'?

The meanings of scatter and dispel largely overlap; however, scatter implies a force that drives parts or units irregularly in many directions. // the bowling ball scattered the pins

dispel

verb

di-ˈspel

Definition of dispel

as in to disperse

to cause (members of a group) to move widely apart the sudden downpour dispelled the throng of street revelers

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How does the verb dispel differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of dispel are disperse, dissipate, and scatter. While all these words mean "to cause to separate or break up," dispel stresses a driving away or getting rid of as if by scattering.

an authoritative statement that dispelled all doubt

When would disperse be a good substitute for dispel?

While in some cases nearly identical to dispel, disperse implies a wider separation and a complete breaking up of a mass or group.

police dispersed the crowd

When could dissipate be used to replace dispel?

The words dissipate and dispel can be used in similar contexts, but dissipate stresses complete disintegration or dissolution and final disappearance.

the fog was dissipated by the morning sun

When might scatter be a better fit than dispel?

The meanings of scatter and dispel largely overlap; however, scatter implies a force that drives parts or units irregularly in many directions.

the bowling ball scattered the pins

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of dispel Some of the symposium's organizers, like Ashley Mason, a clinical psychologist at the University of California, San Francisco, acknowledge their goal is partly to dispel the whiff of wellness hype. — Will Stone, NPR, 11 Oct. 2026 Canadian singer Keshia Chanté dispelled the rumors of Drizzy being the father of her baby after speculation continued to mount following her maternity photo shoot landing on social media. — Michael Saponara, Billboard, 8 Oct. 2026 At the exhibition’s press opening, curator Cindy Kang talked about trying to dispel the idea that internment was an isolated incident that these artists then moved on from. — Robert Sullivan, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2026 The first is a warm wind that blows out of neighboring De Beque Canyon in springtime, dispelling frosts that could damage delicate blossoms. — Sarah Kaplan, Washington Post, 26 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dispel

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dispel

disperse

Verb

For an intervention dispersed through a harbor and out to sea, that may be as close as the ocean gets to a meter reading.

— Alec Luhn, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Police used water cannons and tear gas to disperse rioters, many with their faces covered, who clashed with police, looted stores and set property on fire in central Milan on Saturday.

— ABC News, ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of disperse

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dispatching

dispel

dispelled

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“Dispel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dispel. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of dispel

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