# dismissal

/dɪsˈmɪsəɫ/ (US) · /dɪsmˈɪsəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/dismissal
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. firing an employee

noun · CEFR B2 · Formal

the act of officially telling someone they no longer have a job.

For teachers: the termination of an individual's employment by an employer. Often used in legal contexts regarding 'unfair dismissal'.

- He is appealing against his unfair dismissal from the company.
- The tribunal ruled that the summary dismissal was procedurally flawed, as the employee had not been granted a formal hearing.

### 2. rejecting an idea

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic

deciding that something is not important or not worth thinking about.

For teachers: the act of treating something as unworthy of serious consideration.

- Her quick dismissal of my suggestion was quite hurtful.
- The critic's casual dismissal of the novel as 'juvenile' ignored the complex political allegories woven throughout the text.

### 3. ending a legal case

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical · Formal

a judge's decision to stop a legal case or charge.

For teachers: a court order or judgment that terminates a lawsuit or legal proceeding without a full trial on the merits.

- The lawyer moved for a dismissal of all charges due to lack of evidence.
- The judge granted a dismissal with prejudice, meaning the plaintiff cannot file another lawsuit on the same grounds.

### 4. sending people away

noun · CEFR B2

the act of giving people permission to leave a place, like a classroom or a meeting.

For teachers: the act of ordering or allowing a group to depart or disperse.

- The students waited for the teacher's signal for dismissal.
- Following the final briefing, the commander gave the order for dismissal, and the troops returned to their barracks.

### 5. cricket

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical · British English

the moment when a player in cricket is forced to stop batting and leave the field.

For teachers: the event of a batsman being given out, resulting in the end of their individual innings.

- The bowler celebrated the dismissal of the team's best player.
- The replay confirmed that the dismissal was valid, as the ball had clearly struck the wicket before the batsman reached the crease.

## Examples

- His unfair dismissal led to a long court battle.
- The manager's sudden dismissal of the staff's concerns caused a significant drop in office morale.
- The judge's summary dismissal of the lawsuit surprised the legal community, as many expected the case to proceed to a full trial based on the initial evidence.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.