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

And, in truth, the first Round of 32 match didn’t do much to dispel that theory yesterday. — Ben Church, CNN Money, 29 June 2026

Wicked, another Broadway powerhouse, famously lost in that category, but that hardly dispels the correlation between Tony awards and staying power, seeing as Wicked won in three other categories. — Katie North, Forbes.com, 27 June 2026

Gillian leaps into action to dispel the magic, encouraging Sally to help bring their new friend back by putting hands on his body. — Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 24 June 2026

Doing business downtown has come with a level of uncertainty for the past six years, as the pandemic dispelled the usual foot traffic and downtown employers and workers negotiated hybrid work. — Sacbee.com, 23 June 2026