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

Hellebuyck has established himself as the NHL's best goaltender over the past three seasons, dispelling previous doubts about his consistency after a performance dip in 2020. —Tyler Small, Forbes.com, 20 Apr. 2025

Others, like Navarro, have tried to dispel the notion that the country is approaching an economic downturn altogether. —Gordon G. Chang, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Apr. 2025

Trump and his team were looking to dispel concerns by arguing that the tariff agenda was going as planned, but the stock market Thursday recorded its worst day since 2020. —Lauren Irwin, The Hill, 3 Apr. 2025

The Arab Spring should dispel the delusional gospel that the United States should be in the business of saving the world for democracy. —Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 14 Apr. 2025