Synonyms of dispel

dispel

verb

di-ˈspel 

as in to disperse

to cause (members of a group) to move widely apart

the sudden downpour dispelled the throng of street revelers

Synonyms & Similar Words

• disperse
• dissipate
• scatter
• isolate
• disband
• squander
• segregate
• disseminate
• clear out
• diffuse
• split (up)
• separate
• part
• spread
• break up
• diverge

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• collect
• gather
• concentrate
• assemble
• congregate
• cluster
• unite
• unify
• conglomerate
• ingather
• agglutinate

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb dispel differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of dispel are disperse, dissipate, and scatter. While all these words mean "to cause to separate or break up," dispel stresses a driving away or getting rid of as if by scattering.

an authoritative statement that dispelled all doubt

When would disperse be a good substitute for dispel?

While in some cases nearly identical to dispel, disperse implies a wider separation and a complete breaking up of a mass or group.

police dispersed the crowd

When could dissipate be used to replace dispel?

The words dissipate and dispel can be used in similar contexts, but dissipate stresses complete disintegration or dissolution and final disappearance.

the fog was dissipated by the morning sun

When might scatter be a better fit than dispel?

The meanings of scatter and dispel largely overlap; however, scatter implies a force that drives parts or units irregularly in many directions.

the bowling ball scattered the pins

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of dispel

The findings provide fresh insight into how closely human behavior influences the Earth’s subtle seismic signals, while also helping to dispel the long-standing myth that eclipses can trigger earthquakes. — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026

Certainly, the slim margin defied a sense, in the final days of the race, that El-Sayed was running away with it—an idea that El-Sayed did little to dispel. — Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2026

The spokesperson thus sought to dispel, in his own words, the speculation of countless online users who, for months—due to the pop star’s noticeable weight loss—have expressed serious concerns about her physical and mental health. — Roberta Mercuri, Vanity Fair, 3 Aug. 2026

Police also dispelled misinformation that had been circulating online about the suspect’s identity, saying that some social media posts had erroneously identified a different individual as the suspect. — Chantelle Lee, Time, 3 Aug. 2026