dispose

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 Any such items will be unable to be reclaimed and shall be disposed of by the AELTC without any liability. Merlisa Lawrence Corbett, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025 Golden State taxpayers foot the bill to ship them to Ohio, Hawaii and Massachusetts to dispose of. Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2025 In front of them, the USMNT have already made it through after disposing of the solitary genuine threat in Group D: invitational guests Saudi Arabia. Phil Hay, New York Times, 20 June 2025 In the report, the group laid out its guidelines, which recommend taking cultural context into account when determining how to display or dispose of remains, given that practices such as cremation or postmortem display may be considered traditional by one culture and taboo by another. Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 23 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for dispose
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dispose
Verb
  • The region is situated in hilly terrain, receives a lot of Gulf moisture and remnant tropical systems, and climate change is, on average, boosting the intensity of rain falling from storms.
    Marshall Shepherd, Forbes.com, 6 July 2025
  • The camp is situated right by the river in Kerr County, which was hit especially hard by Friday’s flash flood.
    Rebecca Schneid, Time, 6 July 2025
Verb
  • More than half of the cases — 417 — were classified as immigration violations.
    Norma Galeana, CNN Money, 4 July 2025
  • Cashews are classified as tree nuts, one of the nine major food allergens.
    Matthew Robinson, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 July 2025
Verb
  • But the 2025 grades put Brookshire Elementary School in Winter Park in an uncomfortable spotlight.
    Zoey Thomas, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 July 2025
  • Cayley put her deposit down in February and traveled to Turkey in May.
    Hedy Phillips, People.com, 15 July 2025
Verb
  • Horowitz spent decades arranging for Sondheim’s archives to come to the Library of Congress.
    Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 13 July 2025
  • The controversy comes at a time the United States is trying to arrange a ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas.
    Amira El-Fekki‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
Verb
  • Right-hander Hunter Strickland was placed on the injured list because of right shoulder inflammation.
    Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 8 July 2025
  • Legends is expected to arrive on Netflix approximately four months after its theatrical release, placing its streaming debut around late September or early October 2025.
    Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
Verb
  • After testing a variety of bags, here are the best options to keep your gear safe and organized for every trip.
    Will Porter, Travel + Leisure, 14 July 2025
  • The local hospitality workers’ union, Unite Here Local 49, had organized residents of the two apartment complexes that have opened in the Railyards over the past year — The A.J. and The Wong Center.
    Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 14 July 2025
Verb
  • Because Ireland is an Anglophone country with large diasporas located in the United Kingdom and the United States, it is assumed that politics should behave a little bit like the two nations who pump so much influence back into it through the mass media produced in London, New York, and Hollywood.
    Michael Brendan Dougherty, National Review, 11 July 2025
  • Pérez Art Museum Miami The Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM), located off Biscayne Boulevard, offers world-class exhibitions, outdoor sculptures, and spaces for art, relaxation, and dining.
    AFAR Media, AFAR Media, 11 July 2025
Verb
  • At the same time, Trump has ordered billions of dollars in federal research grants to be cut, which would gut research on cancer, HIV, sickle cell disease, and more.
    Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 15 July 2025
  • At his arraignment Sunday night at Brooklyn Criminal Court, he was ordered held on bail of $5,000 cash or $10,000 bond.
    Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 15 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dispose.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dispose. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.

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