dismiss

/dɪsˈmɪs/

//dɪsˈmɪs// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"dismiss" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“dismiss” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #8,922 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#8,922
frequency rank, English
7
letters
9
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To discharge; to end the employment or service of.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

dismiss vs dismissed
78% similar
dismiss vs dismissal
78% similar
dismiss vs discuss
71% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for dismiss
PropertyValue
Headworddismiss
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/dɪsˈmɪs/
Letters7
Frequency rank#8,922
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs3
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “dismiss” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). dismiss lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for dismiss is 7 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /dɪsˈmɪs/. Corpus data places it at rank #8,922 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 8 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for dismiss, with forms such as "ddismiss", "dimsiss", and "disimss". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 3 confusable-pair relationships, "dismissed", "dismissal", "discuss", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Middle English, from Latin dimissus (“sent away, dismissed, banished”), perfect passive participle of dīmittō (“send away, dismiss”), from dis- + mittere (“to send”). The correct English form is dismiss, spelled D-I-S-M-I-S-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    To discharge; to end the employment or service of.
  2. 2
    To order to leave.
  3. 3
    To dispel; to rid one’s mind of.
  4. 4
    To reject; to refuse to accept.
  5. 5
    To invalidate; to treat as unworthy of serious consideration.
  6. 6
    To send or put away, to discard with disregard, contempt or disdain. (sometimes followed by as).
  7. 7
    To get a batsman out.
  8. 8
    To give someone a red card; to send off.

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin dimissus (“sent away, dismissed, banished”), perfect passive participle of dīmittō (“send away, dismiss”), from dis- + mittere (“to send”).

Synonyms

lay off

This word in other languages

despedir(Español)renvoyer(Français)entlassen(Deutsch)demitir(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ddismiss,dimsiss,disimss,dismis,dismmiss,dismsis,dissmiss,dsimiss,idsmiss

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of dismiss - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ddismiss1dimsiss2disimss2dismis1dismmiss1dismsis2dissmiss1dsimiss2
Edit distance from "dismiss"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "dismiss"?
"dismiss" is spelled D-I-S-M-I-S-S. The IPA pronunciation is /dɪsˈmɪs/.
What does "dismiss" mean?
As a verb, "dismiss" means: To discharge; to end the employment or service of.
What words are commonly confused with "dismiss"?
"dismiss" is commonly confused with "dismissed", "dismissal", "discuss". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "dismiss"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "dismiss" is /dɪsˈmɪs/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "dismiss"?
Middle English, from Latin dimissus (“sent away, dismissed, banished”), perfect passive participle of dīmittō (“send away, dismiss”), from dis- + mittere (“to send”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “dismiss”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is D-I-S-M-I-S-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /dɪsˈmɪs/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “dismissed” - see the side-by-side comparison. dismiss vs dismissed
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list