dispose of

phrase

1

a(1)

: to get rid of

how to dispose of toxic waste

(2)

: to deal with conclusively

disposed of the matter efficiently

b

: to transfer to the control of another

disposing of personal property to a total stranger

2

: to place, distribute, or arrange especially in an orderly way

disposing of the weapons in the new fort

Examples of dispose of in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Arrange for a white goods curbside pickup from your city waste department to dispose of them. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 29 Aug. 2026

Contact the healthcare distributor or facility that provided the injections to ask about their protocol for returning or disposing of them. — Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026

That work has included disposing of most of the furniture that was in the building and removing old ceiling tiles as part of abatement efforts, Tomlinson said. — Idaho Statesman, 25 Aug. 2026

In fact, people who receive syringes from a needle exchange are less likely to dispose of them improperly than those who do not use needle exchanges – in part because these programs encourage the return of used needles. — Paul Christine, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1616, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Rhymes for dispose of

• hereinabove
• above
• foxglove
• hereof
• thereof
• whereof
• dove
• glove
• love
• shove

Legal Definition

dispose of

transitive verb

dis·​pose of

disposed of; disposing of

1

: to transfer to the control or ownership of another

disposed of the property by will

2

: to deal with conclusively : determine finally

received petitions for injunctions…The common theme in disposing of these

—W. J. Brennan, Jr.