dispose

verb

di-ˈspōz How to pronounce dispose (audio)
Definition of disposenext
1
as in to situate
to arrange something in a certain spot or position looking for the perfect spot to dispose the new knickknack

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to classify
to put into a particular arrangement disposed the surgical instruments in the exact order in which they would be needed

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word dispose different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of dispose are bias, incline, and predispose. While all these words mean "to influence one to have or take an attitude toward something," dispose suggests an affecting of one's mood or temper so as to incline one toward something.

her nature disposes her to trust others

When might bias be a better fit than dispose?

The synonyms bias and dispose are sometimes interchangeable, but bias suggests a settled and predictable leaning in one direction and connotes unfair prejudice.

the experience biased him against foreigners

When can incline be used instead of dispose?

The words incline and dispose are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, incline implies a tendency to favor one of two or more actions or conclusions.

I incline to agree

Where would predispose be a reasonable alternative to dispose?

Although the words predispose and dispose have much in common, predispose implies the operation of a disposing influence well in advance of the opportunity to manifest itself.

does fictional violence predispose them to accept real violence?

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 dispose Relying Too Much On Garbage Disposals Though the name may be deceiving, garbage disposals aren’t actually designed to dispose of all garbage. — Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 28 June 2026 To dispose of medications, use a drug take-back program or follow specific FDA guidelines for drug disposal. — Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 27 June 2026 Court documents report she was killed by her stepmother, Connie Graham, who then used one of her sons to dispose of the body, while another son burned the evidence, including a bed, clothing and flooring. — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 26 June 2026 Most fans had taken care of their trash throughout the match, either putting it in the blue bag or already having disposed of it. — Chris Vannini, New York Times, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for dispose
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dispose
  1. situate
  2. classify
  3. put
  4. arrange
  5. place
  6. organize
  7. locate
  8. order
Verb
  • There, situated 750,000 miles beyond the moon, Roman will begin its science mission to study dark energy, dark matter and exoplanets.
    — Lee Billings, Scientific American, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Cuomo was born in New York City and raised in various spiritual communities around the Northeast, including Yogaville, an ashram then situated in Pomfret, Connecticut.
    — Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of situate
Verb
  • Back then, Pluto was classified as a full planet, but the discovery of 1992 QB-1, as well as Kuiper Belt objects even larger than Pluto found later, raised questions about Pluto's status.
    — Tariq Malik, Space.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • In some cases, LinkedIn says views of content classified as AI spam have decreased by as much as 40 percent.
    — Gene Marks, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of classify
Verb
  • Costco is an awkward exhibit for putting shareholder-value maximization in the driver’s seat.
    — Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Espada is paid to put it in favorable positions, even when few seem to exist.
    — Chandler Rome, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of put
Verb
  • The case turned into a years-long legal saga, with multiple people convicted of their roles in arranging the hit, including Wendi’s brother, Charlie Adelson, and her mother, Donna.
    — Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Britain’s populist Reform UK said two senior aides to leader Nigel Farage stepped down on Friday after an undercover investigation alleged the party had broken electoral law by arranging for a foreign donor to pay for political polling.
    — NBC news, NBC news, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of arrange
Verb
  • He was placed on probation and had to serve 50 hours of community service.
    — Bob Harkins, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Within the last few days, the Channahon Police Department also announced an officer allegedly used the Flock camera system for unauthorized purposes and placed the officer on administrative leave.
    — Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of place
Verb
  • The defense was organized and rebounded well from some early breakdowns on stretch running plays, and Petrino’s offense doesn’t look like the mess Freddie Kitchens’ group was last year.
    — Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
  • In the Philippines, many time zones away from these major tournaments, fans organize watch parties for matches that often start after midnight.
    — Albert Samaha, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of organize
Verb
  • He was located in Indiana, where he is being held pending extradiction, the release said.
    — Elgin Courier-News, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2026
  • According to police, crews with the Westport Police Department located the vessel, a white 1998 Seamaster, and found that it was submerged.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of locate
Verb
  • Even though Vaughn's initial plea was not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect, and a mental status exam was ordered, no pretrial tests were done.
    — Brett Barrouquere, Arkansas Online, 30 Aug. 2026
  • In a similar format to Family Feud, TopClubTen gives you ten top answers, ordered by amount, recency, value, and so on.
    — Matt Gardner, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of order

Phrases Containing dispose

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disposals
dispose
disposed
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Cite this Entry

“Dispose.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dispose. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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