dismiss
Treat as unworthy of serious consideration; reject as invalid
Examples
In a meeting
“Don't dismiss the feedback from junior team members—they often see things we miss.”
Over coffee
“He dismissed my concerns like they didn't matter at all.”
Why this word
reject
Dismiss implies treating something as unworthy of consideration, while reject simply means not accepting
ignore
Dismiss involves actively deciding something is not worth attention, while ignore may be passive oversight
disregard
Dismiss suggests authoritative or contemptuous rejection, while disregard is neutrally paying no attention
Usage tip
Use when someone rejects ideas or concerns too quickly. Can imply disrespect or closed-mindedness.
Etymology
Latin 'dismissus' — sent away, from dis- (away) + mittere (to send)
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Related words
broach
To bring up or introduce a topic for discussion
concise
Giving a lot of information clearly in few words.
ambiguous
Open to more than one interpretation; not clear or decided.
convey
To communicate or make an idea, feeling, or meaning known.
reiterate
To say something again for emphasis or clarity.
paraphrase
To restate something in different words to make it clearer or shorter.