disposal

The act of getting rid of something you no longer need or want.

• Safe waste disposal is important.
• The town needs a new disposal site.
• Who pays for the disposal of damaged furniture?

How to use it: disposal of something (The disposal of old batteries requires special care.)

Similar words: removal, discarding

Common phrases: waste disposal, safe disposal, disposal site

The ability to use something whenever you need it, usually in the phrase “at your disposal”.

• The car is at your disposal.
• We used every resource at our disposal.
• The hotel placed a meeting room at their disposal.

How to use it: at someone’s disposal (You have several useful tools at your disposal.); put something at someone’s disposal (They put a car at our disposal for the weekend.)

Common phrases: at someone’s disposal, at my disposal

The way things are placed, arranged, or divided into groups.

• The disposal of the chairs formed a circle.
• He studied the disposal of troops along the border.
• The orderly disposal of the objects made the room appear larger.

How to use it: disposal of something (The disposal of the furniture left the doorway clear.)

Similar words: arrangement, disposition, ordering

Common phrases: disposal of troops, disposal of furniture, orderly disposal