Definition of dispositionnext
1
2
3
as in removal
the getting rid of whatever is unwanted or useless we'll have to find some means for the disposition of all of this junk

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4
5

Synonym Chooser

How is the word disposition distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of disposition are character, personality, temperament, and temper. While all these words mean "the dominant quality or qualities distinguishing a person or group," disposition implies customary moods and attitude toward the life around one.

a cheerful disposition

When is it sensible to use character instead of disposition?

While the synonyms character and disposition are close in meaning, character applies to the aggregate of moral qualities by which a person is judged apart from intelligence, competence, or special talents.

strength of character

When could personality be used to replace disposition?

The words personality and disposition are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, personality applies to an aggregate of qualities that distinguish one as a person.

a somber personality

When might temper be a better fit than disposition?

While in some cases nearly identical to disposition, temper implies the qualities acquired through experience that determine how a person or group meets difficulties or handles situations.

a resilient temper

When is temperament a more appropriate choice than disposition?

The words temperament and disposition can be used in similar contexts, but temperament implies a pattern of innate characteristics associated with one's specific physical and nervous organization.

an artistic temperament

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of disposition The office recently concluded its criminal investigation into GKN and is now negotiating a civil disposition with the company. Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026 Houston’s clubhouse is guided by players with a similar public disposition to their skipper. Chandler Rome, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026 Gini, an agronomist who has overseen the planting of some two hundred thousand trees in Parco Nord in the past quarter century, has the tan skin, strong hands, and hearty disposition that are requisite for the job. Eric Klinenberg, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026 Staff at the medical examiner's office are working as quickly as possible to identify the bodies and notify their families, though the process could take several days to ensure proper disposition, according to the press release. Luke Barr, ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for disposition
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disposition
Noun
  • Boards already spend years evaluating whether a successor has an enterprise mindset, stakeholder management skills, credibility, and the temperament to lead through what comes next.
    Julian Hayes II, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026
  • For Ozener, the deal was as much about temperament as capital.
    Ritu Upadhyay, Footwear News, 19 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The film’s procedural aspect ticks along just fine, holding the attention without subverting expectations, and carried by actors who, much like the detectives in this case, are ultra-capable professionals with no inclination to go rogue on us.
    Guy Lodge, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Collectively, that inclination could lead to bills soaring ever higher.
    Audrey McGlinchy, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Recent construction in Folsom has also contributed to the rise, said Molieri, who founded Snakeout, a removal service.
    Haley Parsley, Sacbee.com, 5 Sep. 2026
  • If the Interior Department determines the animals have met recovery goals, the administration will also work with states to encourage them to remove state-level protections and revise standards governing lethal wolf removal.
    Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • This sequence should also be followed at the pitch-side monitor, but sometimes the VAR cuts straight to slow motion replays in the interests of speed.
    Graham Scott, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • The incident closely paralleled the sequence of events that in July resulted in another group of OpenAI’s agents launching cyberattacks against the company Hugging Face.
    Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • According to the investigation, the Clippers broke league rules by initiating off-court income opportunities and facilitating endorsement agreements between Leonard and four companies that also did business with the team.
    Josh Feldman, NBC news, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Hours after City lost 3-0 to Arsenal in Cardiff, news broke of an agreement with Barcelona for Rodri.
    Tim Spiers, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • First, loosen your pressure valve and temper your expectations.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2026
  • And his fiery temper, igniting at every possible moment with his older and more accommodating bandmates, turns this snapshot of history into genuine tragedy.
    Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Lewis-Skelly has shown an aptitude for more 360-degree defending and dropping to protect his centre-backs and goalkeeper.
    Thom Harris, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • How could King draw with such aptitude and still struggle to talk?
    Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The book offers the bulk of its attention to these parts, using every literary device at its disposal, from interview fragments to the epistolary form, to put surviving the unthinkable into words.
    Tembe Denton-Hurst, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2026
  • So the Clippers will actually have some first-round picks at their disposal between the 2029 and 2033 drafts.
    Zach Harper, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Disposition.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disposition. Accessed 9 Sep. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on disposition

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster