dismiss

To dismiss someone or something means to decide it isn't worth dealing with, or to send a person away. A teacher might dismiss the class when the bell rings, signaling it's time for students to leave. You might also dismiss a rumor as untrue, meaning you don't believe it and won't give it any further thought. Sometimes, dismissing someone feels unkind—like brushing off their feelings or ideas. Think of a king dismissing a troublesome courtier with a wave of his hand!

The word "dismiss" carries a surprising amount of nuance. At its core, to dismiss means to send someone away—physically, as in, "The judge dismissed the jury for the day." But the word's application goes much deeper than that.

You can dismiss an idea or argument, meaning you reject it as unimportant or untrue. The phrase "she dismissed his concerns about the weather" suggests she didn't take them seriously. This usage implies a certain level of disregard—perhaps even arrogance. It's stronger than simply disagreeing; it's actively refusing to entertain a thought. In a legal context, a judge can also dismiss a case or a lawsuit, which effectively ends the legal proceedings.

To dismiss can also mean to relieve someone from duty or responsibility, such as when a company dismisses several employees due to budget cuts. While this is often a difficult and sensitive situation, it serves as a formal way to describe the termination of employment.

Figuratively, you might dismiss your own feelings, meaning you push them aside or ignore them. "He tried to dismiss his sadness with humor" suggests he was attempting to avoid dealing with his emotions by treating them as irrelevant.

The word comes from Latin roots meaning "to send away," and it carries a sense of finality—once something is dismissed, it's often treated as closed or irrelevant. Whether you're sending someone on their way, rejecting a proposal, ending a legal case, or pushing aside your own intuition, to dismiss is to set something aside—often with a degree of authority or disregard.