Dismiss vs. Remove — What's the Difference?
By Maham Liaqat & Fiza Rafique — Updated on April 5, 2024
Dismiss involves ending someone's position or disregarding something, while remove means to take something away or eliminate from a place.
Difference Between Dismiss and Remove
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Dismiss is often used in legal, professional, or educational contexts to indicate the termination of someone's position or the end of a session. For example, a judge dismissing a case or an employer dismissing an employee. On the other hand, remove is more physical, referring to the act of taking something away from its place, like removing a book from a shelf or a stain from a shirt.
In legal terms, to dismiss means to officially stop pursuing a case, reflecting a decision that it should not proceed to trial. Conversely, remove in legal jargon can refer to transferring a case from one jurisdiction to another or eliminating a potential juror from serving on a jury due to bias.
When discussing ideas or considerations, dismiss implies a rejection or refusal to accept. It's a mental or decision-making process. Remove, however, implies a physical or concrete action to take something away, such as removing an option from a list or an obstacle from a path.
In technology, dismiss could be used to describe closing a notification or dialog box on a screen, which is metaphorically sending it away. Remove is used to describe deleting or uninstalling software or files from a device, which is a more concrete action of taking something away.
Dismiss and remove also differ in emotional connotations; dismissing someone or their ideas can carry a sense of disregard or belittlement, while removing something often implies a neutral or even positive action aimed at decluttering or improving a situation.
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Comparison Chart
Context
Legal, professional, educational
Physical action, spatial
Meaning
End a position, disregard
Take something away, eliminate
Application
Cases, employment, ideas
Objects, files, physical obstacles
Connotation
Termination, rejection
Elimination, decluttering
Example
Dismissing an employee, dismissing a case
Removing a book from a shelf, deleting files
Compare with Definitions
Dismiss
To end someone's employment or position.
The company dismissed several employees due to budget cuts.
Remove
To take something away from a place.
He removed the dishes from the table.
Dismiss
To refuse to accept or consider.
She dismissed the idea as impractical.
Remove
To eliminate an obstacle or hindrance.
The workers removed the debris blocking the road.
Dismiss
In law, to reject a case from court.
The judge dismissed the case due to lack of evidence.
Remove
In technology, to delete data or uninstall software.
You should remove unused apps to free up space.
Dismiss
To send someone away.
After the meeting, the manager dismissed the team.
Remove
To take off clothing or an accessory.
She removed her jacket as the room was warm.
Dismiss
To close a notification or window in technology.
I dismissed the alarm on my phone.
Remove
In a legal context, to transfer a case to another jurisdiction.
The defense requested to remove the case to federal court.
Dismiss
Order or allow to leave; send away
She dismissed the taxi at the corner of the road
Remove
Take (something) away or off from the position occupied
She sat down to remove her make-up
Customs officials removed documents from the premises
Dismiss
Treat as unworthy of serious consideration
It would be easy to dismiss him as all brawn and no brain
Remove
Abolish or get rid of
They removed thousands of needy youngsters from the benefit system
Exchange controls have finally been removed
Dismiss
To end the employment or service of; discharge.
Remove
Be distant from
It is an isolated place, far removed from the London art world
Dismiss
To direct or allow to leave
Dismissed troops after the inspection.
Dismissed the student after reprimanding him.
Remove
Separated by a particular number of steps of descent
His second cousin once removed
Dismiss
To stop considering; rid one's mind of; dispel
Dismissed all thoughts of running for office.
Remove
A degree of remoteness or separation
At this remove, the whole incident seems insane
Dismiss
To refuse to accept or recognize; reject
Dismissed the claim as highly improbable.
Remove
A form or division in some British schools
A member of the Fifth Remove
Dismiss
(Law) To adjudicate (a cause of action) as insufficient to proceed further in court because of some deficiency in law or fact.
Remove
To move from a place or position occupied
Removed the cups from the table.
Dismiss
To eject (a player or coach) for the remainder of a game.
Remove
To transfer or convey from one place to another
Removed the family to Texas.
Dismiss
To put out (a batter) in cricket.
Remove
To take off
Removed my boots.
Dismiss
(transitive) To discharge; to end the employment or service of.
The company dismissed me after less than a year.
Remove
To take away; withdraw
Removed the candidate's name from consideration.
Dismiss
(transitive) To order to leave.
The soldiers were dismissed after the parade.
Remove
To do away with; eliminate
Remove a stain.
Dismiss
(transitive) To dispel; to rid one’s mind of.
He dismissed all thoughts of acting again.
Remove
To dismiss from an office or position.
Dismiss
(transitive) To reject; to refuse to accept.
The court dismissed the case.
Remove
To change one's place of residence or business; move
"In 1751, I removed from the country to the town" (David Hume).
Dismiss
(transitive) To invalidate; to treat as unworthy of serious consideration.
By telling the victim to "get over it", the listener dismissed the victim's feelings.
Remove
To go away; depart.
Dismiss
(transitive) To send or put away, to discard with disregard, contempt or disdain. (sometimes followed by as).
She dismissed him with a wave of the hand.
Remove
To be removable
Paint that removes with water.
Dismiss
To get a batsman out.
He was dismissed for 99 runs.
Remove
The act of removing; removal.
Dismiss
To give someone a red card; to send off.
Remove
(transitive) To delete.
Dismiss
To send away; to give leave of departure; to cause or permit to go; to put away.
He dismissed the assembly.
Dismiss their cares when they dismiss their flock.
Though he soon dismissed himself from state affairs.
Remove
(transitive) To move something from one place to another, especially to take away.
He removed the marbles from the bag.
Dismiss
To discard; to remove or discharge from office, service, or employment; as, the king dismisses his ministers; the matter dismisses his servant.
Remove
To replace a dish within a course.
Dismiss
To lay aside or reject as unworthy of attentions or regard, as a petition or motion in court.
Remove
(transitive) To murder.
Dismiss
Dismission.
Remove
To dismiss a batsman.
Dismiss
Bar from attention or consideration;
She dismissed his advances
Remove
(transitive) To discard, set aside, especially something abstract (a thought, feeling, etc.).
Dismiss
Cease to consider; put out of judicial consideration;
This case is dismissed!
Remove
To depart, leave.
Dismiss
Stop associating with;
They dropped her after she had a child out of wedlock
Remove
(intransitive) To change one's residence; to move.
Dismiss
Terminate the employment of;
The boss fired his secretary today
The company terminated 25% of its workers
Remove
To dismiss or discharge from office.
The President removed many postmasters.
Dismiss
End one's encounter with somebody by causing or permitting the person to leave;
I was dismissed after I gave my report
Remove
The act of removing something.
Dismiss
Declare void;
The President dissolved the parliament and called for new elections
Remove
A dish served to replace an earlier one during a meal; a part of a new course.
Remove
(British) at some public schools A division of the school, especially the form prior to last
Remove
A step or gradation (as in the phrase "at one remove")
Remove
Distance in time or space; interval.
Remove
Emotional distance or indifference.
Remove
(dated) The transfer of one's home or business to another place; a move.
Remove
The act of resetting a horse's shoe.
Remove
To move away from the position occupied; to cause to change place; to displace; as, to remove a building.
Thou shalt not remove thy neighbor's landmark.
When we had dined, to prevent the ladies' leaving us, I generally ordered the table to be removed.
Remove
To cause to leave a person or thing; to cause to cease to be; to take away; hence, to banish; to destroy; to put an end to; to kill; as, to remove a disease.
Remove
To dismiss or discharge from office; as, the President removed many postmasters.
Remove
To change place in any manner, or to make a change in place; to move or go from one residence, position, or place to another.
Till Birnam wood remove to Dunsinane,I can not taint with fear.
Remove
The act of removing; a removal.
This place should be at once both school and university, not needing a remove to any other house of scholarship.
And drags at each remove a lengthening chain.
Remove
The transfer of one's business, or of one's domestic belongings, from one location or dwelling house to another; - in the United States usually called a move.
It is an English proverb that three removes are as bad as a fire.
Remove
The state of being removed.
Remove
That which is removed, as a dish removed from table to make room for something else.
Remove
The distance or space through which anything is removed; interval; distance; stage; hence, a step or degree in any scale of gradation; specifically, a division in an English public school; as, the boy went up two removes last year.
A freeholder is but one remove from a legislator.
Remove
The act of resetting a horse's shoe.
Remove
Degree of figurative distance or separation;
Just one remove from madness
It imitates at many removes a Shakespearean tragedy
Remove
Remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, taking off, etc. or remove something abstract;
Remove a threat
Remove a wrapper
Remove the dirty dishes from the table
Take the gun from your pocket
This machine withdraws heat from the environment
Remove
Remove from a position or an office
Remove
Dispose of;
Get rid of these old shoes!
The company got rid of all the dead wood
Remove
Cause to leave;
The teacher took the children out of the classroom
Remove
Shift the position or location of, as for business, legal, educational, or military purposes;
He removed his children to the countryside
Remove the troops to the forest surrounding the city
Remove a case to another court
Remove
Go away or leave;
He absented himself
Remove
Kill intentionally and with premeditation;
The mafia boss ordered his enemies murdered
Remove
Get rid of something abstract;
The death of her mother removed the last obstacle to their marriage
God takes away your sins
Common Curiosities
How does remove differ in a legal context?
Legally, to remove can mean to transfer a case from one jurisdiction to another, or to disqualify a juror.
What does it mean to dismiss someone?
Dismissing someone typically means ending their position or employment, often due to performance issues or organizational changes.
Can you dismiss an idea?
Yes, dismissing an idea means refusing to accept or consider it, often because it's deemed impractical or irrelevant.
What does remove mean in a physical context?
In a physical context, remove means to take something away from its place or to eliminate an object or obstacle.
Can a case be dismissed for any reason?
A case can be dismissed for various reasons, such as lack of evidence, procedural errors, or agreement between the parties involved.
Can removing an app from a phone free up space?
Yes, removing (uninstalling) apps from a phone can free up storage space on the device.
Is dismissing an employee the same as firing them?
Yes, dismissing an employee is essentially the same as firing them, indicating the termination of their employment.
What is an example of removing something in technology?
Removing something in technology could refer to deleting files or uninstalling software from a device.
Does dismissing someone always mean termination?
While often related to termination, dismissing can also mean sending someone away from a particular place or situation.
How can you remove a program from a computer?
You can remove a program from a computer by uninstalling it through the operating system's control panel or settings menu.
Can you remove something temporarily?
Yes, something can be removed temporarily and then returned to its place, such as removing furniture during a renovation.
Is it possible to remove a stain with a specific method?
Yes, specific methods or products can remove stains from materials, depending on the nature of the stain and the material.
What does it mean to dismiss an alarm?
To dismiss an alarm means to turn it off or stop it from making noise, often by pressing a button on a device.
Is dismissal always negative?
Dismissal usually has a negative connotation, especially in employment, but in other contexts, like dismissing a case, it can be positive or neutral.
What's the difference between dismissing and ignoring?
Dismissing involves a conscious decision to reject or terminate, while ignoring means simply not paying attention or acknowledging.
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Co-written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
