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 good news is that once a deal is reached, the hours-long security checkpoint lines will likely dispel quickly, according to Sheldon Jacobson, an aviation expert and professor of computer science at the University of Illinois Grainger College of Engineering. —Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2026

Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum has been trying to dispel security concerns over the tournament. —Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026

These were eventually dispelled, but his health had begun to decline. —Nick Miller, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026

Their fear won’t be entirely dispelled once the fighting dies down, or even if there’s a formal ceasefire. —Weilun Soon, Bloomberg, 25 Mar. 2026