dispels

Dispels is the present tense, third-person singular form of the verb dispel. To dispel means to cause something to disappear or be driven away, especially a belief, fear, rumor, or doubt. It can also describe the removal of a physical phenomenon, such as fog or darkness, though figurative uses are far more common in everyday language.

The word derives from Latin dis- “apart” and pellere “to drive,” and entered English via Old French and Middle English. The basic sense is to drive away what is unwanted, typically through evidence, argument, or exposure.

The verb is used across journalism, science, education, and rhetoric. A study may dispel a myth or misconception. Public information campaigns aim to dispel fears. A clear argument can dispel doubts, and careful reporting can dispel rumors. In meteorology or optics, there are idiomatic uses where sunlight dispels darkness or wind dispels fog, though precise physical explanations depend on the domain.

See also: dispel (verb), disabuse, myth busting.