dispensable

1 of 2

adjective

dis·​pens·​able di-ˈspen(t)-sə-bəl 

: capable of being dispensed with

dispensability

di-ˌspen(t)-sə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

dispensability

2 of 2

noun

dis·​pens·​abil·​i·​ty dəˌspen(t)səˈbilətē 

(ˌ)diˌ-, 

-ətē, 

-i

plural -es

: the quality or state of being dispensable

his dispensability to his corporation and his corporation's indispensability to him are bound to remain the crux of his problem

—John McDonald

Synonyms of dispensable

Adjective

• unnecessary

Examples of dispensable in a Sentence

Adjective

Computers have made typewriters dispensable.

Do you consider any of the staff to be dispensable?

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Ornaments are no more dispensable than foundations. — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 23 Apr. 2026

Many people are trying to protect themselves from becoming dispensable as the role of AI expands in the workplace, said Erik Brynjolfsson, an economics professor at Stanford University and the director of the Stanford Digital Economy Lab. — Annie Nova, CNBC, 25 Feb. 2026

Takeoff is booster assisted, and landing is achieved with parachutes combined with dispensable airbags. — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 23 Nov. 2025

These children are cannon fodder, dispensable pawns in someone else’s war. — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

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

Adjective

1649, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for dispensable

• sensible
• compensable
• condensable
• defensible
• extensible
• insensible
• ostensible
• comprehensible
• indefensible
• indispensable
• reprehensible
• supersensible

Kids Definition

dispensable

adjective

dis·​pens·​able dis-ˈpen(t)-sə-bəl 

: not necessary : nonessential

dispensability

-ˌpen(t)-sə-ˈbil-ət-ē 

noun