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disposal

noun
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dis·​pos·​al | \ di-ˈspō-zəl How to pronounce disposal (audio) \

Definition of disposal

1 : the power or authority to make use of as one chooses : the power or authority to dispose of something The car was at my disposal.
2 : the act or process of disposing: such as
a : orderly placement or distribution the disposal of troops along the ridge
b : regulation, administration
c : the act or action of presenting or bestowing (see bestow sense 4) something disposal of favors the disposal of property
d : systematic destruction especially : destruction or transformation of garbage trash disposal the disposal of nuclear waste
3 [garbage disposal unit] : a device used to reduce waste matter (as by grinding) putting food scraps down the disposal
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Examples of disposal in a Sentence

the disposal of nuclear waste trash disposal is on Wednesday in our neighborhood
Recent Examples on the Web According to the Idaho State Journal, one of the disposal methods that FMC employed involved burying 21 tanker rail cars with phosphorous sludge, an alternative to the more expensive cleaning process. — Nick Martin, The New Republic, "Indian Country Refuses to Be Corporate America’s Dumping Ground," 12 Jan. 2021 Aluminum is one of the only materials in the consumer disposal stream that more than pays for the cost of its own collection. — Allison Chinchar, CNN, "10 easy ways to 'Go Green' in 2021," 3 Jan. 2021 Ornaments, hooks, nails, tinsel, garland, tree stands and other hard materials should be removed from the trees prior to disposal, officials said. — Beacon-news Staff, chicagotribune.com, "Oswego museum displaying ornaments online," 31 Dec. 2020 The park also has picnic tables, benches, water stations for humans and dogs, and waste pickup/disposal stations. — Teri Webster, Dallas News, "Richardson nature portals and Plano dog park named favorites of 2020 by North Texas construction firm," 28 Dec. 2020 An extra push for recycling keeps a lot of that cardboard from ending up in the trash, where it can’t be reused and costs the town more in disposal fees. — Don Stacom, courant.com, "With post-holiday boxes and broken Christmas lights piled up, West Hartford steps up recycling," 28 Dec. 2020 Then, workers at both transfer stations tested positive for the novel coronavirus, according to an email that a solid waste disposal administrator sent to trash companies and government officials last Monday that was obtained by The Washington Post. — Washington Post, "Problems at D.C.’s trash transfer stations include structural damage and coronavirus," 22 Dec. 2020 Check with the waste disposal provider in your area. — Linda Mcintosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, "How to get your Christmas tree recycled," 22 Dec. 2020 This vacuum self-evacuates after each clean at its docking station, which is equipped with a dirt disposal container that can hold up to 60 days of dust and debris. — Carsen Joenk, Popular Science, "Best robot vacuum: Clean up without lifting a finger," 18 Dec. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'disposal.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of disposal

1630, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Time Traveler for disposal

Time Traveler

The first known use of disposal was in 1630

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Statistics for disposal

Last Updated

20 Jan 2021

Cite this Entry

“Disposal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disposal. Accessed 20 Jan. 2021.

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More Definitions for disposal

disposal

noun
How to pronounce disposal (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of disposal

: the act of throwing something away
law : the act of giving control or ownership of land, possessions, etc., to someone

See the full definition for disposal in the English Language Learners Dictionary

disposal

noun
dis·​pos·​al | \ dis-ˈpō-zəl How to pronounce disposal (audio) \

Kids Definition of disposal

1 : the act of getting rid of trash disposal
2 : right or power to use : control I have money at my disposal.

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More from Merriam-Webster on disposal

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for disposal

Nglish: Translation of disposal for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of disposal for Arabic Speakers

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