dispose
verb
Simple meaning
To eliminate or to get rid of something.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
dihspohzSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
dɪsˈpoʊz
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
verb
used with "of"
To eliminate or to get rid of something.
“I dispose of my trash in the garbage can.”
To distribute or arrange; to put in place.
To deal out; to assign to a use.
To incline.
“In these uncertain times, I am disposed towards caution.”
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- C1 · Advanced
- Frequency
- Moderately Common
- Typical Use
- Neutral / general English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: (used with "of") To eliminate or to get rid of something.
Used this way, dispose is a common word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
“I dispose of my trash in the garbage can.”
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Common
- Connotation
- No strong connotation
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Usage note
It most often appears in the pattern “dispose of …”, which is worth copying when you use it.
Nearby words
- cast away , a specialist term, precise but narrower
Natural pattern: dispose of …
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use dispose
- “She disposed of her parents' possessions.”verb
Share your sentence
Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Word family
Words built from the same root.
The power to use something or someone.
Free or available for use or disposition.
More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Synonyms
Sense: to eliminate or to get rid of something
Use This Word
See how this word sounds in a real sentence.
Ask Vocabaura
Understand the word your way.
What Does It Mean Here?
Words can change meaning depending on context.
Use it yourself
Knowing “dispose” starts when you use it. Pick a next step, all free.
Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API (CC BY-SA 3.0). Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.