dis·charge
dis-ˈchärj 
ˈdis-ˌchärj
discharged; discharging; discharges
1
: to relieve of a charge, load, or burden:
a
: unload
discharge a cargo ship
b
: to release from an obligation
will be discharged from further payment
c
electrical engineering
: to release electrical energy from (something, such as a battery or capacitor) by a discharge (see discharge entry 2 sense 9b)
discharging electricity from a battery
2
3
a(1)
: to dismiss from employment
had to discharge several employees last month
(2)
: to release from service or duty
discharge a soldier
was discharged from the Navy
b
: to get rid of (something, such as a debt or obligation) by performing an appropriate action (such as payment)
failing to discharge their debts
c
law
: to set aside or dismiss : annul
discharge a court order
d
: to order (a legislative committee) to end consideration of a bill (see bill entry 4 sense 6) in order to bring it before the house (see house entry 1 sense 6a) for action
4
: to bear and distribute (something, such as the weight of a wall above an opening)
5
: to bleach out or remove (color or dye) in dyeing and printing textiles
6
: to cancel the record of the loan of (a library book) upon return
1
a
: to throw off or deliver a load, charge, or burden
b
: to release electrical energy by a discharge (see discharge entry 2 sense 9b)
ensure that the electricity discharges safely
dis·charge
ˈdis-ˌchärj
dis-ˈchärj
1
b
: something that discharges or releases
especially
: a certification of release or payment
produced the discharge as evidence
2
: the state of being discharged or relieved
3
: the act of discharging or unloading
her discharge from the hospital
4
law
: release from confinement
a record of prison discharges
5
: a firing off
the discharge of a weapon
6
a
: a flowing or issuing out
a discharge of spores
a discharge of mucus
also
: a rate of flow
controlling the discharge of water
b
: something that is emitted
a purulent discharge
a clear discharge from the eyes and nose
7
law
: the act of removing an obligation or liability (see liability sense 2)
received a full discharge from his creditors
8
a
: release or dismissal especially from an office or employment
suing for wrongful discharge
b
: complete separation from military service
her discharge from the Navy
an honorable discharge
9
a
physics
: the equalization of a difference of electric potential (see potential entry 2 sense 2c) between two points
b
energy engineering
: the conversion of the chemical energy of a battery into electrical energy
Synonyms
Examples of discharge in a Sentence
Verb
She's due to be discharged from the hospital on Wednesday.
We had to discharge several employees last week.
Thousands of soldiers were discharged after the war.
The judge discharged the jury.
The ship discharged missiles against enemy targets.
The gun failed to discharge.
Noun
The doctors approved her discharge from the hospital.
Several former employees are suing the company for wrongful discharge.
After his discharge from the military, he went to college to become a teacher.
The damage was caused by accidental discharge of a hunting rifle.
a rapid discharge from a gun
Recent Examples on the Web
Blake Nelson, The Mercury News, 4 Nov. 2024
He was discharged in July 2024 and has since been continuing outpatient therapy in California.
—Marco Rubio, Newsweek, 2 Nov. 2024
Angelica Stabile, Fox News, 19 Nov. 2024
Swimmer’s ear can be pretty uncomfortable: your ear canal fills up with a sticky discharge and may become smelly and painful, explains Hildrew.
—Julia Ries, Outside Online, 14 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for discharge 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Verb
He was honorably discharged in 1971 and returned to the reservation.
—Blake Nelson, The Mercury News, 4 Nov. 2024
He was discharged in July 2024 and has since been continuing outpatient therapy in California.
—Marco Rubio, Newsweek, 2 Nov. 2024
Noun
Symptoms of bird flu in humans can include eye redness or discharge, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, diarrhea, vomiting, muscle or body aches, headaches, fatigue, trouble breathing, high fever, pneumonia and seizures, according to medical experts.
—Angelica Stabile, Fox News, 19 Nov. 2024
Swimmer’s ear can be pretty uncomfortable: your ear canal fills up with a sticky discharge and may become smelly and painful, explains Hildrew.
—Julia Ries, Outside Online, 14 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for discharge
Dictionary Entries Near discharge
Cite this Entry
“Discharge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/discharge. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
discharge
1 of 2 verb
dis·charge
dis-ˈchärj
ˈdis-ˌchärj
1
: to relieve of a charge, load, or burden : unload
discharge a ship
2
: shoot entry 1 sense 1, fire entry 2 sense 4a
discharge a gun
3
: to set free
discharge a prisoner
4
: to dismiss from service or employment
discharge a soldier
5
: to let go or let off
discharge passengers
6
: to give forth fluid or other contents
this river discharges into the ocean
7
: to get rid of by paying or doing
discharge a debt
discharge a function
discharger
noun
discharge
2 of 2 noun
dis·charge
ˈdis-ˌchärj
dis-ˈchärj
1
a
: the act of discharging
b
: something that discharges
especially
: a certification of release or payment
2
: a firing off
3
a
: a flowing out
also
: a rate of flow
b
: something that is given forth
a discharge of pus from a wound
4
a
: release or dismissal especially from an office or employment
b
: complete separation from military service
was given an honorable discharge
5
: a flow of electricity (as in lightning or through a gas)
Medical Definition
discharge
1 of 2 verb
dis·charge
dis(h)-ˈchärj
ˈdis(h)-ˌ
ˈdis(h)-ˌ
discharged; discharging
1
: to release from confinement, custody, or care
discharge a patient from the hospital
2
a
: to give outlet to or emit
a boil discharging pus
b
: to release or give expression to (a pent-up emotion or a repressed impulse)
discharged his anxiety by working out with a punching bag
: to pour forth fluid or other contents
discharge
2 of 2 noun
dis·charge
ˈdis(h)-ˌchärj
dis(h)-ˈ
dis(h)-ˈ
1
: the act of relieving of something
discharge of a repressed impulse
2
: release from confinement, custody, or care
returned to work the day after discharge from the hospital
3
: something that is emitted or evacuated
a purulent discharge from a wound
a thick white vaginal discharge
Legal Definition
discharge
1 of 2 transitive verb
dis·charge
dis-ˈchärj, ˈdis-ˌchärj
1
: to release from an obligation: as
a
: to relieve of a duty under an instrument (as a contract or a negotiable instrument)
also
: to render (an instrument) no longer enforceable
a formal instrument…may be discharged by either cancellation or surrender —J. D. Calamari and J. M. Perillo
J. D. Calamari and J. M. Perillo
b
: to release (a debtor in bankruptcy) from liability for his or her debts
2
: to release from confinement, custody, or care
discharge a prisoner
3
a
: to dismiss from employment : terminate the employment of
b
: to release from service or duty
discharge a jury
discharge a witness
4
a
: to get rid of (as a debt or obligation) by performing an appropriate action
b
: to fulfill a requirement for
evidence which is required to discharge the burden of going forward—W. R. LaFave and A. W. Scott, Jr.
W. R. LaFave and A. W. Scott, Jr.5
: to order (a legislative committee) to end consideration of a bill in order to bring it before the house for action
dischargeability
noun
dis-ˌchär-jə-ˈbi-lə-tē
discharge
2 of 2 noun
dis·charge
ˈdis-ˌchärj
1
a
: the act of relieving of something that burdens or oppresses : release
b
: something that discharges or releases
especially
: a certification of or a document proving release or payment
2
: the state of being discharged or released
a party seeking a total discharge
3
: release from confinement
ordering a conditional discharge of the alien on habeas corpus—Harvard Law Review
Harvard Law Review4
: the act of removing an obligation or liability (as by payment of a debt or performance of a duty)
5
a
: a dismissal from employment or office
—
constructive discharge
: discharge of an employee effected by making the employee's working conditions so intolerable that he or she reasonably feels compelled to resign
—
retaliatory discharge
: a wrongful discharge that is done in retaliation for an employee's conduct (as reporting an employer's criminal activity) and that clearly violates public policy
—
wrongful discharge
: discharge of an employee for illegal reasons or for reasons that are contrary to public policy (as in retaliation for the employee's refusal to engage in unlawful activity)
b
: a release from service or duty
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