Dispel

v.hopeful, calmprofessional

What it means

To cause a fear, doubt, belief, or obscuring condition to disappear.

Reach for it when describing evidence or reassurance that clears away a harmful misunderstanding or worry

The load test dispelled doubts about the repaired footbridge.

everyday
clear
when confusion, mist, or doubt lifts
not when Clear needs an object or context and may describe tidying rather than changing belief.
professional
refute
when evidence proves a claim or argument false
not when Refute addresses the claim itself and does not guarantee anyone's doubt or fear disappears.
professional
resolve
when explanation or action settles uncertainty
not when Resolve can answer a problem without removing an emotionally held fear.
formal
allay
when fear or suspicion is reduced through reassurance
not when Allay means ease rather than remove completely and rarely applies to a false belief.
literary
banish
when something unwelcome is driven away decisively
not when Banish sounds dramatic and can promise finality that evidence cannot deliver.
literary
scatter
when light, movement, or force breaks up a cloud or crowd
not when Scatter fits physical dispersal and sounds odd for a carefully corrected misconception.

dispel doubts
Independent testing helped dispel doubts about the material's strength.
dispel a myth
The public demonstration dispelled a myth about the repair process.
dispel fears
Clear evacuation maps helped dispel fears among new residents.
quickly dispel
One accurate diagram quickly dispelled the confusion around the valve.

The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.