Meaning & use
dispatching
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“dispatching” is a form of “dispatch”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbtransitive
Sending someone or something off to a destination for a particular purpose; the -ing form of dispatch.
Grammar: Takes an object: dispatching a courier; often followed by to.
Patterns
- dispatching someone to something
- dispatching something to someone
The company is dispatching a technician to your address this afternoon.
Police are dispatching extra officers to the stadium.
She spent the morning dispatching parcels to customers abroad.
verbtransitiveformal
Dealing with a task, problem or opponent quickly and efficiently.
Grammar: Takes an object: dispatching a pile of emails.
Patterns
- dispatching something quickly
He is dispatching his workload with impressive speed.
The champion kept dispatching one rival after another.
She enjoyed dispatching the day's paperwork before lunch.
noununcountablebusiness
The work of organizing and sending out vehicles, workers or goods, especially in emergency or delivery services.
Grammar: Often used as a job area: she works in dispatching.
Patterns
- work in dispatching
Dispatching is a stressful job during a snowstorm.
The firm improved its dispatching with new software.
He trained for dispatching at the emergency call center.
Word forms
| base form | dispatch |
|---|---|
| third person singular | dispatches |
| past tense | dispatched |
| past participle | dispatched |
Common combinations
- dispatching officers
- The center is dispatching officers to the scene.
- dispatching drivers
- The firm is dispatching drivers across the city.
- dispatching goods
- Dispatching goods on time keeps customers happy.
- dispatching teams
- Aid groups are dispatching teams to the flood area.
- emergency dispatching
- Emergency dispatching requires calm decisions.
Synonyms and how they differ
- sending
- Sending is the plain everyday word, whereas dispatching suggests speed and an official purpose.
- deploying
- Deploying is used for positioning troops or equipment, not for ordinary parcels.
- shipping
- Shipping is for goods only, and dispatching can also apply to people.
- despatching
- Despatching is an older British spelling with the same meaning.
Opposites
Word family
- dispatch verb
- to send off quickly
- dispatch noun
- an official report or the act of sending
- dispatcher noun
- a person who sends out vehicles or workers
- dispatched adjective
- already sent off
Commonly confused: dispatching or dispatch vs. despatch?
dispatching vs dispatch vs. despatch
Both spellings are correct; dispatch is standard in American English and common in British English.
Practice
The emergency center is ___ two ambulances to the accident site.
Choose one answer.
Dispatching means sending off for a purpose. Dispersing means scattering, and the other options do not fit sending ambulances.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “dispatching”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.