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

Fake news is spreading fake reporters faster than any communications team on the planet could dispel it. —Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 19 Feb. 2026

But the numbers may spell trouble for the Republican Party in the midterms this year, and even in the long term, perhaps dispelling the notion that a greater cultural shift had taken place in 2024. —Rebecca Schneid, Time, 17 Feb. 2026

In a statement posted on its Facebook page, Eden’s production company, Donna and Shula productions, sought to dispel rumors that the producer had been killed. —Costas Kantouris, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2026

But though more recent evidence has suggested otherwise, it’s been hard to dispel the old theory, particularly because remnants of boats and fishing supplies—made from organic materials—were largely missing from the archaeological record. —K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 9 Feb. 2026