dismiss

dismiss — verb

1. to decide that an idea, suggestion, or person is not important enough for you to

1.動詞及物B2
釋義

to decide that an idea, suggestion, or person is not important enough for you to think about or discuss seriously

例句

Cole dismissed his colleague's warning about the budget problem as unnecessary worry.

dismiss + noun phrase + as + noun phrase

The committee dismissed the plan after just five minutes of discussion.

同義詞
  • brush off

    less formal; suggests a quick, casual rejection without careful thought

  • disregard

    more neutral; can mean you simply paid no attention rather than deciding it was worthless

  • reject

    broader in scope; covers turning down an offer, not just an idea

反義詞
  • consider

    to think about something carefully before making a decision

  • acknowledge

    to accept or admit that something exists or is important

文法句型

dismiss + noun phrase

dismiss + noun phrase + as + noun/adjective

dismiss + the idea/thought of + -ing

用法筆記

Often appears with 'as' to state the reason the person or thing is being pushed aside. The object can be a person, a suggestion, a feeling, or a piece of information.

常見錯誤

❌I dismissed his idea' (when you mean you forgot it).
✅I dismissed his idea as outdated and unworkable.
💡'dismiss' in this sense means you consciously rejected it after thinking about it, not that you forgot it by accident.
❌She dismissed the offer completely' (vague).
✅She dismissed the offer as too risky for the company.
💡The 'as' phrase clarifies why you think something is not worth considering.

2. to officially tell someone that they no longer have a job, often because they di

2.動詞及物B2
釋義

to officially tell someone that they no longer have a job, often because they did something wrong or failed to do their work properly

例句

The school dismissed the teacher after finding evidence that he had broken the rules.

Renata was dismissed from her job when the company discovered the missing funds.

passive: be dismissed from [position]

同義詞
  • fire

    less formal; more common in everyday speech

  • sack

    British English, informal; suggests the dismissal was for poor performance or misconduct

  • let go

    softer in tone; may also include layoffs unrelated to wrongdoing

反義詞
  • hire

    to give someone a job

  • employ

    to pay someone to work for you

文法句型

dismiss + noun phrase

be dismissed

dismiss + noun phrase + from + noun phrase

dismiss + noun phrase + for + noun/reason

用法筆記

Frequently used in the passive (be dismissed). The reason for the dismissal is typically introduced by 'for'. This sense is more formal than 'fire' and is common in written news reports.

常見錯誤

❌The company dismissed him' (when he left by choice).
✅The company dismissed him for stealing equipment.
💡'dismiss' means the employer ended the job; use 'resign' or 'quit' when the employee chooses to leave.
❌I was dismissed from school because I was late.
✅I was sent home from school because I was late.
💡'dismiss from school' in this sense is about employment, not education; use 'expel' or 'suspend' for students.

3. to officially tell or allow a person or group to leave a place or to stop what t

3.動詞及物B2
釋義

to officially tell or allow a person or group to leave a place or to stop what they are doing

例句

The general dismissed the soldiers after the morning briefing.

When the meeting ended, the head teacher dismissed the students to their classrooms.

同義詞
  • send away

    less formal; does not carry the implication of formal authority

  • release

    emphasises allowing someone to go free from an obligation

  • disperse

    used for groups; suggests people go in different directions

反義詞
  • assemble

    to bring people together in one place

  • summon

    to order someone to come to a place

文法句型

dismiss + noun phrase

dismiss + noun phrase + from + noun phrase

be dismissed

用法筆記

Common in military, school, and formal meeting settings. The person being dismissed is expected to leave or stop their current activity. Unlike sense 2 (END JOB), this does not imply losing a position long-term.

常見錯誤

❌The teacher dismissed the student from the classroom for being late' (too formal for everyday school life).
✅The teacher sent the student out of the classroom for being late.
💡'dismiss' in this sense sounds very formal; 'send out' is more natural for routine classroom situations.
❌The boss dismissed everyone at 5 pm.
✅The boss let everyone leave at 5 pm.
💡'dismiss' in the SEND AWAY sense is much more formal and most natural in military, court, or ceremonial contexts.

4. when a court decides that a legal case must end, most often because the facts or

4.動詞及物C1
釋義

when a court decides that a legal case must end, most often because the facts or the law do not support continuing with it

例句

The judge dismissed the case because the police had not collected enough evidence.

dismiss a case for lack of evidence

The court dismissed the case after the two sides reached a private agreement.

同義詞
  • throw out

    less formal; common in news reports about rejected legal cases

  • strike out

    British legal term; means the case is removed from the court record

反義詞
  • admit

    to allow a case to go forward in court

  • uphold

    to support a case or appeal, allowing it to continue

文法句型

dismiss + noun phrase (case, lawsuit, charges)

be dismissed

dismiss + noun phrase + on the grounds of + noun phrase

用法筆記

Almost always used in a courtroom or legal context. The subject is typically a judge or a court. The object is the case itself, not a person. A case that is dismissed can sometimes be brought back to court later if new evidence appears.

常見錯誤

❌The judge dismissed the case because it was boring.
✅The judge dismissed the case because there was not enough evidence.
💡Courts dismiss cases on legal grounds such as lack of evidence, improper procedure, or lack of legal basis, not on personal opinion.
❌The police dismissed the case.
✅The judge dismissed the case.
💡Only a judge or a court can dismiss a case in the legal sense. Police 'drop' or 'close' an investigation.