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dismiss Definition

dis·miss (dis mis′)

transitive verb

  1. to send away; cause or allow to leave
  2. to remove or discharge from a duty, office, position, or employment
  3. to put out of one's mind to dismiss one's fears
  4. to remove from consideration or reject as lacking in importance or value to dismiss our suggestions as irrelevant
  5. Law to discontinue or reject (a claim or action)

Etymology: ME dismissen < ML dismissus, pp. of dismittere, for L dimittere, to send away < dis-, from + mittere, to send: see mission

dismiss Related Forms

dis·miss′·ible adjective

dismiss Synonyms

dismiss

v.

  1. To send away

    discard, reject, decline, repel, repudiate, dispatch, disband, detach, send off, pack off, cast off, cast out, relinquish, dispense with, disperse, dissolve, adjourn, recess, remove, expel, eject, abolish, relegate, supersede, push aside, shed, slough off, do without, have done with, brush aside, brush away, set aside, disregard, discount, put out of one's mind, dispose of, sweep away, clear, rid, rout, chase, bundle, chase out, run out, drive out, turn out, show out, force out, lock out, shut out, let out, release, excuse, ostracize, exclude, blackball, dispossess, dethrone, boycott, exile, expatriate, banish, outlaw, deport, excommunicate, get rid of, send packing*, drop*, brush off*, kick out*, give the gate*, write off*, pitch overboard*, chuck out*, boot out*, hustle out*, give the air*, read out of*, send abroad*, send to Coventry*; see also refuse.

    Antonyms retain*, keep*, admit. *

  2. To remove an employee

    discharge, give notice, let go, lay off, fire, displace, terminate, replace, oust, pension off, suspend, remove, disemploy, recall, impeach, unseat, drop, disqualify, cashier, can*, bounce*, sack*, ax*, bust*, boot out*, send packing*, give one's walking papers*, give the ax*, give the boot*, give the sack*; see also oust.

    Antonyms hire*, employ*, engage. See syn. study at eject.eject.

dismiss Usage Examples

Object

  • appeal: For the reasons he gives I would dismiss the appeal.
  • employe: You are bound not to dismiss the employe unfairly.
  • rumor: Tottenham have been linked with the 24 year old, but Hoddle was quick to dismiss such rumors.
  • speculation: Ian Moore's agent has dismissed speculation linking the player with a move to Sheffield Wednesday.
  • notion: From roadside glimpses so far, I'd dismissed all horror-film notions of vodou.
  • allegation: He dismissed allegations that Baghdad could, in the foreseeable future, produce a nuclear device.

Preposition: on

ground: However, concerns about the widening cross-sectional distribution cannot be dismissed on the grounds that they are offset by mobility.

Preposition: as

  • crank: Tho it's tempting, they can't be dismissed as cranks outside the mainstream.
  • fantasy: Scholars have dreamt of making such discoveries for centuries, but until the last couple of years they were understandably dismissed as fantasies.

Adjective complement

irrelevant: In an age when God's existence is often dismissed as irrelevant to real questions, this is encouraging stuff.

Modifying Another Word

  • unfairly: UNISON wins unfair dismissal case in Shetland UNISON has won compensation for a member unfairly dismissed from Shetland Amenity Trust.
  • summarily: These reasons led to the competition defense in this case being summarily dismissed by the High Court.
  • constructively: Where you say you were unfairly, constructively dismissed, you must follow the Grievance Procedure.
  • lightly: But there is a downside to this strategy which Russia cannot dismiss lightly.
  • contemptuously: George Bush contemptuously dismisses calls to combat climate change as liberal hysteria and a threat to US economic growth.
  • unanimously: The House of Lords has now unanimously dismissed the employer's appeal from the majority Court of Appeal ruling.

Preposition: with

contempt: The World Court order to terminate the crime of international terrorism and pay substantial reparations was dismissed with contempt.

Preposition: for

  • misconduct: A student who is dismissed for serious misconduct will not receive a refund.
  • incompetence: Goring said the plot was the work of generals dismissed for incompetence who had formed a new Reich Government of usurpers.
  • reason: I agree that both appeals should be dismissed for the reasons given by Hale LJ.