Depose-Dispose | Commonly Confused Words
Special Offer Special Offer
0d : 00h : 00m : 00s

Master confusing words with ease

Depose vs. Dispose

Depose

/dɪˈpəʊz/
To remove someone from power, especially a ruler or leader, by force

Examples:

In court, she was asked to depose the truth about the incident.The king was deposed by a popular uprising last year.Witnesses were called to depose what they saw at the scene.

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

Dispose

/dɪˈspəʊz/
To get rid of something or deal with something

Examples:

He was kept busy disposing of his heap of manuscripts.He is otherwise disposed of.''That disposes pretty effectually of the household,' continued the inspector.

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

Ways to tell them apart:

etymology
  • Depose often involves removing someone from a position, like a leader or official, whereas dispose involves getting rid of something, like trash or a problem.
  • Think of depose as a downshift in rank or power, aligning with its Latin root deponere meaning to lay aside.
  • Dispose has a sense of finality to it, connected with arranging or dealing with things, derived from Latin disponere.
  • When you depose someone, they lose their position, whereas when you dispose of something, it's usually about managing or eliminating it.
  • Depose can often be seen in legal or political contexts, while dispose is frequently associated with tasks or environmental upkeep.
© 2025 Lithium Lab Pte Ltd