DISMISS

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does dismiss mean? 

• DISMISS (verb)
  The verb DISMISS has 6 senses:

1. bar from attention or consideration

2. cease to consider; put out of judicial consideration

3. stop associating with

4. terminate the employment of; discharge from an office or position

5. end one's encounter with somebody by causing or permitting the person to leave

6. declare void

  Familiarity information: DISMISS used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DISMISS (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they dismiss    ... he / she / it dismisses   
Past simple: dismissed   
Past participle: dismissed   
-ing form: dismissing   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Bar from attention or consideration

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

brush aside; brush off; discount; dismiss; disregard; ignore; push aside

Context example:

She dismissed his advances

Hypernyms (to "dismiss" is one way to...):

reject (refuse to accept or acknowledge)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "dismiss"):

cold-shoulder; slight (pay no attention to, disrespect)

discredit (cause to be distrusted or disbelieved)

shrug off (minimize the importance of, brush aside)

pass off (disregard)

flout; scoff (treat with contemptuous disregard)

turn a blind eye (refuse to acknowledge)

laugh away; laugh off (deal with a problem by laughing or pretending to be amused by it)

disoblige (ignore someone's wishes)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

dismissive (showing indifference or disregard)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Cease to consider; put out of judicial consideration

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

dismiss; throw out

Context example:

This case is dismissed!

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

dismissal (a judgment disposing of the matter without a trial)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Stop associating with

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

dismiss; drop; send away; send packing

Context example:

They dropped her after she had a child out of wedlock

Hypernyms (to "dismiss" is one way to...):

can; dismiss; displace; fire; force out; give notice; give the axe; give the sack; sack; send away; terminate (terminate the employment of; discharge from an office or position)

Verb group:

drop (terminate an association with)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Sense 4

Meaning:

Terminate the employment of; discharge from an office or position

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

can; dismiss; displace; fire; force out; give notice; give the axe; give the sack; sack; send away; terminate

Context example:

The company terminated 25% of its workers

Hypernyms (to "dismiss" is one way to...):

remove (remove from a position or an office)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "dismiss"):

retire (make (someone) retire)

pension off (let go from employment with an attractive pension)

clean out (force out)

furlough; lay off (dismiss, usually for economic reasons)

squeeze out (force out)

dismiss; drop; send away; send packing (stop associating with)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s somebody to INFINITIVE

Derivation:

dismissal (the termination of someone's employment (leaving them free to depart))

dismissible (subject to dismissal)

dismission (the termination of someone's employment (leaving them free to depart))

Sense 5

Meaning:

End one's encounter with somebody by causing or permitting the person to leave

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

dismiss; usher out

Context example:

I was dismissed after I gave my report

Hypernyms (to "dismiss" is one way to...):

say farewell (say good-bye or bid farewell)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

dismissal (permission to go; the sending away of someone)

dismissive (stopping to associate with)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Declare void

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

dismiss; dissolve

Context example:

The President dissolved the parliament and called for new elections

Hypernyms (to "dismiss" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Verb group:

break up; dissolve (bring the association of to an end or cause to break up)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

 Context examples 

The king, who had a much better understanding, dismissing his learned men, sent for the farmer, who by good fortune was not yet gone out of town.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

Jo was dismissed, but chose to march up and down the hall like a sentinel, having some fear that the prisoner might bolt.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

When they dismiss the men, which shall be shortly, they shall themselves look after the horses.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Perhaps—his heart almost stood still at the—wild thought—perhaps they were ordering an article from him; but the next instant he dismissed the surmise as hopelessly impossible.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

“Johnson,” Wolf Larsen said, with an air of dismissing all that had gone before as introductory to the main business in hand, “I understand you’re not quite satisfied with those oilskins?”

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

It was, to conceal what had occurred, from those who were going away; and to dismiss them on their voyage in happy ignorance.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

In vain he declared his innocence; he was dismissed with no better answer.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

Diana took the word—"Do you mean," she asked, "that we have now given you what aid you require? and that we may dismiss you to the moor and the rainy night?"

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

He did trace them easily to Clapham, but no further; for on entering that place, they removed into a hackney coach, and dismissed the chaise that brought them from Epsom.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

Mrs. Dashwood could think of no other question, and Thomas and the tablecloth, now alike needless, were soon afterwards dismissed.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)