1
as in sends
to cause to go or be taken from one place to another
dispatched a messenger with urgent news
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in kills
to deprive of life
the exterminator dispatched the termites with professional efficiency
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in murders
to put to death deliberately
during his reign of terror the dictator dispatched thousands without the slightest qualm
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in defeats
to achieve a victory over
they dispatched the other team without breaking a sweat
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in letters
a message on paper from one person or group to another
a soldier sending daily dispatches to friends and family back home
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in messages
a piece of conveyed information
a dispatch from headquarters regarding a change in battle plans
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dispatches
Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2026
After reporting the contacts, the Yanan calls in support from the aircraft carrier Shandong, which dispatches three aircraft to confirm the presence of the unidentified planes.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 1 Feb. 2026
The new film puts empty characters (their tattoos are more expressive than the dialogue they’re given) into dangerous situations and dispatches them with all the empty pleasure of video-game kills.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 22 Jan. 2026
The base is the largest Navy installation in the Pacific and routinely dispatches surface ships and submarines to the Indo-Pacific and the Middle East.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Jan. 2026
But the teen-soap relationship dynamics among Clover and her friends are secondary to the gleeful creativity with which the movie dispatches them — over and over again.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 10 Dec. 2025
So when hundreds of federal agents arrived in September, activists poured energy into an emergency hotline that dispatches response teams to gather intel, including names of those detained.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 16 Nov. 2025
Nonetheless, the way the GTH dispatches a British back road is up there with the very best cars developed in Weissach.
—Tim Pitt, Robb Report, 15 Oct. 2025
Airline dispatches his opponent with a deliberate stroke of his left hand.
—Matthew Shen Goodman, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 8 Feb. 2026
Dillard also supervised other communication technicians and accessed names from their dispatches as well.
—Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 6 Feb. 2026
Audio dispatches reviewed by The Bee indicated that a man identifying himself as the shooter made a 911 call.
—Hannah Ruhoff, Sacbee.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Along with Nate’s and Joe’s expert commentary on the industry, subscribers can expect a mix of punditry from awards experts, staff chats, dispatches from the Oscars trail, blind items, and trash talk.
—Vulture Staff, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026
Japan has since repeatedly stretched the definition of self-defense, allowing overseas dispatches of its troops as part of international peacekeeping operations, though mostly avoiding combat missions.
—Mari Yamaguchi, Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2025
The duo of Sara Walsh and Melanie Collins dispatches from the field.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 25 Dec. 2025
Lizza’s salacious dispatches may end up foreclosing Nuzzi’s future in journalism; The New York Times has reported that Vanity Fair is reviewing its ties to her.
—Michelle Goldberg, Mercury News, 3 Dec. 2025
Yuki is the sister of Gogo Yubari (Chiaki Kuriyama), O-Ren's meteor-hammer-wielding bodyguard, whom the Bride dispatches after a bloody battle.
—Mike Miller, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Nov. 2025
Verb
And then there’s the self-serving Ghoul, who dispatches with anyone who gets in his way.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2026
After reporting the contacts, the Yanan calls in support from the aircraft carrier Shandong, which dispatches three aircraft to confirm the presence of the unidentified planes.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 1 Feb. 2026
The new film puts empty characters (their tattoos are more expressive than the dialogue they’re given) into dangerous situations and dispatches them with all the empty pleasure of video-game kills.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 22 Jan. 2026
The base is the largest Navy installation in the Pacific and routinely dispatches surface ships and submarines to the Indo-Pacific and the Middle East.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Jan. 2026
But the teen-soap relationship dynamics among Clover and her friends are secondary to the gleeful creativity with which the movie dispatches them — over and over again.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 10 Dec. 2025
So when hundreds of federal agents arrived in September, activists poured energy into an emergency hotline that dispatches response teams to gather intel, including names of those detained.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 16 Nov. 2025
Nonetheless, the way the GTH dispatches a British back road is up there with the very best cars developed in Weissach.
—Tim Pitt, Robb Report, 15 Oct. 2025
Airline dispatches his opponent with a deliberate stroke of his left hand.
—Matthew Shen Goodman, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Noun
When there is not enough gas to run the turbines, the price spikes and ISO dispatches the oil burning generators.
—Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 8 Feb. 2026
Dillard also supervised other communication technicians and accessed names from their dispatches as well.
—Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 6 Feb. 2026
Audio dispatches reviewed by The Bee indicated that a man identifying himself as the shooter made a 911 call.
—Hannah Ruhoff, Sacbee.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Along with Nate’s and Joe’s expert commentary on the industry, subscribers can expect a mix of punditry from awards experts, staff chats, dispatches from the Oscars trail, blind items, and trash talk.
—Vulture Staff, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026
Japan has since repeatedly stretched the definition of self-defense, allowing overseas dispatches of its troops as part of international peacekeeping operations, though mostly avoiding combat missions.
—Mari Yamaguchi, Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2025
The duo of Sara Walsh and Melanie Collins dispatches from the field.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 25 Dec. 2025
Lizza’s salacious dispatches may end up foreclosing Nuzzi’s future in journalism; The New York Times has reported that Vanity Fair is reviewing its ties to her.
—Michelle Goldberg, Mercury News, 3 Dec. 2025
Yuki is the sister of Gogo Yubari (Chiaki Kuriyama), O-Ren's meteor-hammer-wielding bodyguard, whom the Bride dispatches after a bloody battle.
—Mike Miller, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dispatches
Verb
-
But there will be a special focus next month when NASA sends astronauts up to the moon.—
Sarah Horbacewicz,
CBS News,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Unless Utah sends back a player in the Boucher deal, the move will give Boston two open spots on its 15-man roster.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Early-morning strike kills 11, including two children Israeli troops fired on a building in the Tuffah neighborhood in northern Gaza, killing at least 11 people, most from the same family, said Shifa Hospital, which received the bodies.—
Wafaa Shurafa,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Small plane crash in Colombia kills 15 BOGOTA, Colombia -- A small plane crashed Wednesday in a rural area of Norte de Santander province in northeast Colombia, killing all 15 people on board including a member of congress, authorities said.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Her unscrupulous, power-hungry uncle Claudius (Kôji Yakusho) murders his own brother to become king.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
-
That’s partly because its senseless violence, inspired by the Manson murders among other grisly homicides, feels all too plausible.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
If New England defeats the Seattle Seahawks, Vrabel will become the first person to ever win a Super Bowl as both a player and a head coach for the same franchise.—
Chad Graff,
New York Times,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Gold Coast League co-champions Brentwood and Crossroads have already met twice and could meet a third time in the second round of the Division 1 playoffs if Brentwood defeats Fairmont Prep and Crossroads defeats Long Beach Poly.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Members of Congress helped, and hundreds of customers wrote letters of support.—
Geoff Mulvihill,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
-
The center, boasting the community college’s name in purple letters on its exterior, will offer short-term programs tied to Lockhart’s workforce needs, such as HVAC, automotive, plumbing, construction and welding.—
Lily Kepner,
Austin American Statesman,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Fox News Digital reviewed internal Signal chat messages from Seattle-area rapid response groups showing that the rejection of whistles triggered open hostility.—
Asra Q. Nomani,
FOXNews.com,
7 Feb. 2026
-
In messages previously made public, the agent bragged about his marksmanship.—
Natasha Korecki,
NBC news,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
That prescription goes to a compounding pharmacy, which then ships the peptides to the patient.—
Sara Talpos — Undark,
STAT,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Things are more transient now, with East Coast military transplants looking for a good watch pah-ty coming and going as Uncle Sam ships them in and out of the Springs.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
25 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The rising trend was driven by wellness influencers and raw milk advocates who believe that the pasteurization process destroys bioactives, which are chemicals found in plants and certain foods that promote good health.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Composting leaves destroys juglone in 6 to 12 months, but hulls take much longer.—
Barbara Gillette,
The Spruce,
1 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dispatches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dispatches. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
