dispose

1 of 2

verb

dis·​pose di-ˈspōz How to pronounce dispose (audio)
disposed; disposing
Synonyms of disposenext

transitive verb

1
: to give a tendency to : incline
faulty diet disposes one to sickness
2
a
: to put in place : set in readiness : arrange
disposing troops for withdrawal
b
: bestow
c
obsolete : regulate

intransitive verb

1
: to settle a matter finally
2
obsolete : to come to terms
disposer noun

dispose

2 of 2

noun

1
obsolete : disposal
2
obsolete
a
: disposition
b
: demeanor
Phrases
dispose of
1
a(1)
: to get rid of
how to dispose of toxic waste
(2)
: to deal with conclusively
disposed of the matter efficiently
b
: to transfer to the control of another
disposing of personal property to a total stranger
2
: to place, distribute, or arrange especially in an orderly way
disposing of the weapons in the new fort

Synonyms

Verb

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for dispose

incline, bias, dispose, predispose mean to influence one to have or take an attitude toward something.

incline implies a tendency to favor one of two or more actions or conclusions.

I incline to agree

bias suggests a settled and predictable leaning in one direction and connotes unfair prejudice.

the experience biased him against foreigners

dispose suggests an affecting of one's mood or temper so as to incline one toward something.

her nature disposes her to trust others

predispose implies the operation of a disposing influence well in advance of the opportunity to manifest itself.

does fictional violence predispose them to accept real violence?

Examples of dispose in a Sentence

Verb looking for the perfect spot to dispose the new knickknack disposed the surgical instruments in the exact order in which they would be needed
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
In one case, an employee took parts and disposed of the associated paperwork and shipping crates. —Niraj Chokshi, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2024 Court documents say that had the captains’ crab harvest been properly accounted for by the Department of Fish and Game before attempting to be sold, the infected crab would have been identified and disposed of before leaving Alaska. —Julia Daye, Sacramento Bee, 24 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for dispose 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dispose.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French desposer, from Latin disponere to arrange (perfect indicative disposui), from dis- + ponere to put — more at position

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1590, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dispose was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing dispose

Dictionary Entries Near dispose

disposal field

dispose

disposedly

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Dispose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dispose. Accessed 3 May. 2024.

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Kids Definition

dispose

verb
dis·​pose
dis-ˈpōz
disposed; disposing
1
: incline entry 1 sense 2
I was not disposed to go to the meeting
2
: to put in place or in readiness : arrange
you'll need more room to dispose your legs comfortably
disposer noun

More from Merriam-Webster on dispose

Nglish: Translation of dispose for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of dispose for Arabic Speakers

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