disposal

noun

dis·​pos·​al di-ˈspō-zəl 

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

Synonyms of disposal

• removal
• dumping

Examples of disposal in a Sentence

the disposal of nuclear waste

trash disposal is on Wednesday in our neighborhood

Recent Examples on the Web

The man had been shot during a volatile time in the city, and the disposal of his body appears to have been planned. — Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026

Jones and his team had vast amounts of archival footage at their disposal, and selecting which footage to use—and how much of the often gruesome details to include—proved to be a delicate balance. — ArsTechnica, 20 Aug. 2026

These are toxic to the environment and water and should never be thrown in the regular trash cans for disposal! — Ticked Off, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2026

Its wide appeal is thanks not only to the dizzying array of breezy beaches at travelers' disposal along both the Pacific and Caribbean coasts—nor the famous canal that links the two. — Brittany Chang, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1630, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing disposal

• at someone's disposal
• garbage disposal
• waste disposal unit

Rhymes for disposal

• petrosal
• proposal
• serosal
• counterproposal

Kids Definition

disposal

noun

dis·​pos·​al dis-ˈpō-zəl 

1

: the right or power to use or control something : command

funds at our disposal

2

: an orderly arrangement

the disposal of troops for battle

3

: a getting rid of or putting out of the way

trash disposal

4

: management sense 1, administration

5

: the transfer of something to a new owner

a disposal of property