dispatch

Name: dispatch, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/dɪˈspætʃ/

//dɪˈspætʃ// verb

By PlainSpell Editorial Team · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“dispatch” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #10,198 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#10,198
frequency rank, English: 8
letters: 13
tracked misspellings: 2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To send (a shipment) with promptness.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

dispatch vs dispatcher

80% similar

dispatch vs despatch

88% similar

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

Key facts for dispatch
Property	Value
Headword	dispatch
Language	English
Part of speech	Verb
IPA	/dɪˈspætʃ/
Letters	8
Frequency rank	#10,198
Misspellings tracked	13
Confusable pairs	2
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “dispatch” 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). dispatch lands here:

#10,198

#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 dispatch is 8 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /dɪˈspætʃ/. Corpus data places it at rank #10,198 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 12 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for dispatch, with forms such as "ddispatch", "dipsatch", and "disaptch". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "dispatcher", "despatch", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Spanish despachar or Italian dispacciare, replacing alternate reflex depeach, which is from French dépêcher. Further, several steps omitting, from Latin dis- + impedicō (whence impeach). The first known use in writing (in the past tense, spell… The correct English form is dispatch, spelled D-I-S-P-A-T-C-H.

Definition

1
To send (a shipment) with promptness.
2
To send (a person) away hastily.
3
To send (an important official message) promptly, by means of a diplomat or military officer.
4
To send (a journalist) to a place in order to report.
5
To dispose of speedily, as business; to execute quickly; to make a speedy end of; to finish; to perform.
6
To eat, especially quickly.
7
To rid; to free.
8
To destroy (someone or something) quickly and efficiently.
9
To defeat
10
To pass on for further processing, especially via a dispatch table (often with to).
11
To hurry.
12
To deprive.

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish despachar or Italian dispacciare, replacing alternate reflex depeach, which is from French dépêcher. Further, several steps omitting, from Latin dis- + impedicō (whence impeach). The first known use in writing (in the past tense, spelled as dispached) is by Bishop Cuthbert Tunstall in 1517. This would be unusually early for a borrowing from a Romance language other than French, but Tunstall had studied in Italy and was Commissioner to Spain, so this word may have been borrowed through diplomatic circles. The alternative spelling despatch was introduced in Samuel Johnson's dictionary, probably by accident. Compare typologically deliver (for the meaning to bring or transport) (< Latin dē- + līberō).

Synonyms

make haste send

This word in other languages

despachar(Español)verschicken(Deutsch)despachar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ddispatch,dipsatch,disaptch,dispacth,dispatcch,dispatchh,dispathc,dispattch,disppatch,disptach,disspatch,dsipatch,idspatch

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of dispatch - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

Edit distance from "dispatch"

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 "dispatch"?

"dispatch" is spelled D-I-S-P-A-T-C-H. The IPA pronunciation is /dɪˈspætʃ/.

What does "dispatch" mean?

As a verb, "dispatch" means: To send (a shipment) with promptness.

What words are commonly confused with "dispatch"?

"dispatch" is commonly confused with "dispatcher", "despatch". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.

How do you pronounce "dispatch"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "dispatch" is /dɪˈspætʃ/. 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 "dispatch"?

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 “dispatch”

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

The one correct English spelling is D-I-S-P-A-T-C-H - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
Say it as /dɪˈspætʃ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
Don't mix it up with “dispatcher” - see the side-by-side comparison. dispatch vs dispatcher
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.