discharge

1 of 2

verb

dis·​charge dis-ˈchärj 

ˈdis-ˌchärj

discharged; discharging; discharges

transitive verb

1

: to relieve of a charge, load, or burden:

a

: unload

discharge a cargo ship

b

: to release from an obligation

will be discharged from further payment

c

electrical engineering : to release electrical energy from (something, such as a battery or capacitor) by a discharge (see discharge entry 2 sense 9b)

discharging electricity from a battery

2

a

: to let or put off

discharge passengers

discharge cargo

b

: shoot

discharge an arrow

c

: to release from confinement, custody, or care

discharge a prisoner

discharge a patient

d

: to give outlet or vent to : emit

discharge emotions

vehicles discharging exhaust fumes

3

a(1)

: to dismiss from employment

had to discharge several employees last month

(2)

: to release from service or duty

discharge a soldier

was discharged from the Navy

b

: to get rid of (something, such as a debt or obligation) by performing an appropriate action (such as payment)

failing to discharge their debts

c

law : to set aside or dismiss : annul

discharge a court order

d

: to order (a legislative committee) to end consideration of a bill (see bill entry 4 sense 6) in order to bring it before the house (see house entry 1 sense 6a) for action

4

: to bear and distribute (something, such as the weight of a wall above an opening)

5

: to bleach out or remove (color or dye) in dyeing and printing textiles

6

: to cancel the record of the loan of (a library book) upon return

intransitive verb

1

a

: to throw off or deliver a load, charge, or burden

b

: to release electrical energy by a discharge (see discharge entry 2 sense 9b)

ensure that the electricity discharges safely

2

a

: go off, fire

—used of a gun

His weapon discharged.

b

: spread, run

some dyes discharge

c

: to pour forth fluid or other contents

where the river discharges into the ocean

dischargeable

dis-ˈchär-jə-bəl 

ˈdis-ˌchär-

adjective

dischargee

(ˌ)dis-ˌchär-ˈjē 

noun

discharger

dis-ˈchär-jər 

ˈdis-ˌchär-

noun

discharge

2 of 2

noun

dis·​charge ˈdis-ˌchärj 

dis-ˈchärj

1

a

: the act of relieving of something that oppresses : release

b

: something that discharges or releases

especially : a certification of release or payment

produced the discharge as evidence

2

: the state of being discharged or relieved

3

: the act of discharging or unloading

her discharge from the hospital

4

law : release from confinement

a record of prison discharges

5

: a firing off

the discharge of a weapon

6

a

: a flowing or issuing out

a discharge of spores

a discharge of mucus

also : a rate of flow

controlling the discharge of water

b

: something that is emitted

a purulent discharge

a clear discharge from the eyes and nose

7

law : the act of removing an obligation or liability (see liability sense 2)

received a full discharge from his creditors

8

a

: release or dismissal especially from an office or employment

suing for wrongful discharge

b

: complete separation from military service

her discharge from the Navy

an honorable discharge

9

a

physics : the equalization of a difference of electric potential (see potential entry 2 sense 2c) between two points

b

energy engineering : the conversion of the chemical energy of a battery into electrical energy

Synonyms

Verb

• fire
• shoot

Noun

• firing
• blasting

Choose the Right Synonym for discharge

perform, execute, discharge, accomplish, achieve, effect, fulfill mean to carry out or into effect.

perform implies action that follows established patterns or procedures or fulfills agreed-upon requirements and often connotes special skill.

performed gymnastics

execute stresses the carrying out of what exists in plan or in intent.

executed the hit-and-run

discharge implies execution and completion of appointed duties or tasks.

discharged his duties

accomplish stresses the successful completion of a process rather than the means of carrying it out.

accomplished everything they set out to do

achieve adds to accomplish the implication of conquered difficulties.

achieve greatness

effect adds to achieve an emphasis on the inherent force in the agent capable of surmounting obstacles.

effected sweeping reforms

fulfill implies a complete realization of ends or possibilities.

fulfilled their ambitions

Examples of discharge in a Sentence

Verb

She's due to be discharged from the hospital on Wednesday.

We had to discharge several employees last week.

Thousands of soldiers were discharged after the war.

The judge discharged the jury.

The ship discharged missiles against enemy targets.

The gun failed to discharge.

Noun

The doctors approved her discharge from the hospital.

Several former employees are suing the company for wrongful discharge.

After his discharge from the military, he went to college to become a teacher.

The damage was caused by accidental discharge of a hunting rifle.

a rapid discharge from a gun

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

In at least two of the incidents, Spors exhibited troubling behaviors indicative of an ongoing mental health crisis and was once taken to a hospital but discharged, records show. —Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 27 Oct. 2025

In Los Angeles earlier this week, a federal marshal and an undocumented immigrant were injured after an agent’s weapon discharged during an immigration enforcement operation, officials said. —Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2025

Noun

Richard Flores was convicted of second-degree murder with sentencing enhancements for the discharge of a gun causing death and the personal use of a gun. —City News Service, Oc Register, 26 Oct. 2025

His discharge has been delayed due to his father’s detention. —Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English dischargen, discargen, deschargen "to unload, free (from something burdensome), deprive, put an end to, get rid of (a debt, obligation, duty)," borrowed from Anglo-French descharger, descarger, from des- dis- + charger, carger "to load, burden" — more at charge entry 1

Noun

Middle English discharge, descharge "release, relief," borrowed from Anglo-French, "unloading, release, relief," derivative of descharger "to unload, free (from something burdensome)" — more at discharge entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

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

Noun

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

Phrases Containing discharge

• brush discharge
• discharge lamp
• discharge tube
• dishonorable discharge
• glow discharge
• pre-discharge

Rhymes for discharge

• enlarge
• litharge
• recharge
• surcharge
• barge
• charge
• large
• marge
• sarge
• targe
• overcharge

Kids Definition

discharge

1 of 2 verb

dis·​charge dis-ˈchärj 

ˈdis-ˌchärj

1

: to relieve of a charge, load, or burden : unload

discharge a ship

2

: shoot entry 1 sense 1, fire entry 2 sense 4a

discharge a gun

3

: to set free

discharge a prisoner

4

: to dismiss from service or employment

discharge a soldier

5

: to let go or let off

discharge passengers

6

: to give forth fluid or other contents

this river discharges into the ocean

7

: to get rid of by paying or doing

discharge a debt

discharge a function

discharger noun

discharge

2 of 2 noun

dis·​charge ˈdis-ˌchärj 

dis-ˈchärj

1

a

: the act of discharging

b

: something that discharges

especially : a certification of release or payment

2

: a firing off

3

a

: a flowing out

also : a rate of flow

b

: something that is given forth

a discharge of pus from a wound

4

a

: release or dismissal especially from an office or employment

b

: complete separation from military service

was given an honorable discharge

5

: a flow of electricity (as in lightning or through a gas)

Medical Definition

discharge

1 of 2 verb

dis·​charge dis(h)-ˈchärj  ˈdis(h)-ˌ 

discharged; discharging

transitive verb

1

: to release from confinement, custody, or care

discharge a patient from the hospital

2

a

: to give outlet to or emit

a boil discharging pus

b

: to release or give expression to (a pent-up emotion or a repressed impulse)

discharged his anxiety by working out with a punching bag

intransitive verb

: to pour forth fluid or other contents

discharge

2 of 2 noun

dis·​charge ˈdis(h)-ˌchärj  dis(h)-ˈ 

1

: the act of relieving of something

discharge of a repressed impulse

2

: release from confinement, custody, or care

returned to work the day after discharge from the hospital

3

: something that is emitted or evacuated

a purulent discharge from a wound

a thick white vaginal discharge

Legal Definition

discharge

1 of 2 transitive verb

dis·​charge dis-ˈchärj, ˈdis-ˌchärj 

1

: to release from an obligation: as

a

: to relieve of a duty under an instrument (as a contract or a negotiable instrument)

also : to render (an instrument) no longer enforceable

a formal instrument…may be discharged by either cancellation or surrender

—J. D. Calamari and J. M. Perillo

b

: to release (a debtor in bankruptcy) from liability for his or her debts

2

: to release from confinement, custody, or care

discharge a prisoner

3

a

: to dismiss from employment : terminate the employment of

b

: to release from service or duty

discharge a jury

discharge a witness

4

a

: to get rid of (as a debt or obligation) by performing an appropriate action

b

: to fulfill a requirement for

evidence which is required to discharge the burden of going forward

—W. R. LaFave and A. W. Scott, Jr.

5

: to order (a legislative committee) to end consideration of a bill in order to bring it before the house for action

dischargeability

dis-ˌchär-jə-ˈbi-lə-tē

noun

dischargeable

dis-ˈchär-jə-bəl 

adjective

discharge

2 of 2 noun

dis·​charge ˈdis-ˌchärj 

1

a

: the act of relieving of something that burdens or oppresses : release

b

: something that discharges or releases

especially : a certification of or a document proving release or payment

2

: the state of being discharged or released

a party seeking a total discharge

3

: release from confinement

ordering a conditional discharge of the alien on habeas corpus

—Harvard Law Review

4

: the act of removing an obligation or liability (as by payment of a debt or performance of a duty)

5

a

: a dismissal from employment or office

— constructive discharge

: discharge of an employee effected by making the employee's working conditions so intolerable that he or she reasonably feels compelled to resign

— retaliatory discharge

: a wrongful discharge that is done in retaliation for an employee's conduct (as reporting an employer's criminal activity) and that clearly violates public policy

— wrongful discharge

: discharge of an employee for illegal reasons or for reasons that are contrary to public policy (as in retaliation for the employee's refusal to engage in unlawful activity)

b

: a release from service or duty