# dispel

> English word · Verb · IPA [dɪˈspɛɫ] · frequency rank #25,354

## Definitions
1. To drive away or cause to vanish by scattering.
2. To remove (fears, doubts, objections etc.) by proving them unjustified.

## Etymology
From Middle English dispelen, from Latin dispellere (“to disperse; to dispel”).

## Easily confused with
- **distal** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dispel-vs-distal)
- **Disney** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/disney-vs-dispel)
- **dishes** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dishes-vs-dispel)
- **diesel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/diesel-vs-dispel)
- **dipped** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dipped-vs-dispel)
- **diaper** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/diaper-vs-dispel)
- **dismal** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dismal-vs-dispel)
- **dipper** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dipper-vs-dispel)
- **dished** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dished-vs-dispel)

## Common misspellings (9)
`ddispel`, `dipsel`, `disepl`, `dispell`, `disple`, `disppel`, `disspel`, `dsipel`, `idspel`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/dispel