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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Recent Examples of dispel
And though their companies are pushing the technology forward at a remarkable rate, an army of more sober voices are quick to dispel any claim that machines will soon match human intellect.
—
Cade Metz, New York Times, 16 May 2025
The second important thing to say about the speculation around Doctor Who is that the drama’s key figures — including Gatwa himself — have done little to dispel the sense of unease.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 23 May 2025
The Museums Special Section Black Cowboys Ride Again: Museums have taken up the cause of dispelling the perception of a whites-only West.
—Elly Fishman, New York Times, 22 May 2025
No classic Hollywood film tells the story of plantation life from the point of view of the enslaved—that would have dispelled the myth entirely.
—Maurice Carlos Ruffin, Time, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for dispel
Cade Metz, New York Times, 16 May 2025
The second important thing to say about the speculation around Doctor Who is that the drama’s key figures — including Gatwa himself — have done little to dispel the sense of unease.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 23 May 2025
The Museums Special Section Black Cowboys Ride Again: Museums have taken up the cause of dispelling the perception of a whites-only West.
—Elly Fishman, New York Times, 22 May 2025
No classic Hollywood film tells the story of plantation life from the point of view of the enslaved—that would have dispelled the myth entirely.
—Maurice Carlos Ruffin, Time, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for dispel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dispel
disperse
Verb
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Scientists are still searching for answers about how Y. pestis evolved and dispersed, but recent analysis of ancient and modern Y. pestis samples revealed how plague managed to persist among humans for hundreds of years after pandemic waves petered out.—
Mindy Weisberger,
CNN Money,
3 June 2025
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Impact grants now allow up to $20,000 to be dispersed per business.—
Erin Yarnall,
Chicago Tribune,
3 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dispel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dispel. Accessed 16 Jun. 2025.
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