as in dispersing
to cause (members of a group) to move widely apart
the sudden downpour dispelled the throng of street revelers
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Recent Examples of dispelling
The public is both fascinated and afraid of injections, but dispelling the rumors that a massive needle could go as deep as your bone goes a long way in vaccine adoption.
—
Adam Goodcoff, STAT, 13 May 2026
Joining the chorus of other CEOs, former Goldman Sachs leader Lloyd Blankfein is dispelling the myth that an Ivy League degree or supreme intellect is a prerequisite for success.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2026
Presumably, the prospect of raking in another nine figures should go a long way toward dispelling any fears of overloading the tryptophan-adjacent stretch of the NFL calendar.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 11 Mar. 2026
This movie, based on a real-life 1940s women's professional baseball team, was ahead of its time in dispelling gender stereotypes.
—Karen Cicero, Parents, 5 Mar. 2026
The team set out to do a series of media interviews and push out information dispelling the government’s narrative.
—Gregory Royal Pratt, Chicago Tribune, 1 Mar. 2026
Efforts by the Kremlin to encourage more births had fallen flat, Sonin said, because women in Russia did not feel safe and secure, with the low birth rate direct evidence of that and effectively dispelling positive images of the country and war promoted by Russia and state-run media.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 24 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
Now more than ever, Evavold said Halloween is about bringing families and youngsters together rather than dispelling trouble that might be brewing.
—Chris Kenning, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
Adam Goodcoff, STAT, 13 May 2026
Joining the chorus of other CEOs, former Goldman Sachs leader Lloyd Blankfein is dispelling the myth that an Ivy League degree or supreme intellect is a prerequisite for success.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2026
Presumably, the prospect of raking in another nine figures should go a long way toward dispelling any fears of overloading the tryptophan-adjacent stretch of the NFL calendar.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 11 Mar. 2026
This movie, based on a real-life 1940s women's professional baseball team, was ahead of its time in dispelling gender stereotypes.
—Karen Cicero, Parents, 5 Mar. 2026
The team set out to do a series of media interviews and push out information dispelling the government’s narrative.
—Gregory Royal Pratt, Chicago Tribune, 1 Mar. 2026
Efforts by the Kremlin to encourage more births had fallen flat, Sonin said, because women in Russia did not feel safe and secure, with the low birth rate direct evidence of that and effectively dispelling positive images of the country and war promoted by Russia and state-run media.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 24 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
Now more than ever, Evavold said Halloween is about bringing families and youngsters together rather than dispelling trouble that might be brewing.
—Chris Kenning, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dispelling
dispersing
Verb
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Native ants are major contributors to underground ecosystems, controlling insect populations, dispersing seeds and improving soil health.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
4 June 2026
-
Eradication involves sterilizing male flies using radiation and dispersing them where screwworm flies are indigenous, according to the American Society for Microbiology.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dispelling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dispelling. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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