discharge them

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "discharge them" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts where someone is being released from a duty, obligation, or medical care. Example: "After a thorough evaluation, the doctor decided to discharge them from the hospital."

✓ Grammatically correct

Medical (releasing patients from care)

Obligations (fulfilling duties)

Termination (ending someone's employment or service)

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"The time has come to discharge them.

The New York Times

But we thought it churlish to discharge them 17 minutes after telling them".

The Guardian - Opinion

As a man of honor he had to discharge them somehow".

The New York Times - Books

In cases like his, where patients need long-term care, hospitals are not allowed to discharge them to the streets.

The New York Times

Emergency rooms want to admit patients, and hospitals want to discharge them to nursing homes, rather than send them home.

The New York Times

Countries such as South Africa have run out of treatment options for many of their patients and are having to discharge them from hospital.

The Guardian - Opinion

Mr. Delgadillo said homeless patients often lacked insurance or other means to pay for their care, prompting hospitals to discharge them quickly.

The New York Times

Eventually, though, I took on more and more until the weight of my responsibilities and my ability to discharge them just grew too much for me.

The Guardian

The bypass buses, by Jacoby design, do not pick up passengers while they discharge them: they pick up, go someplace and discharge, then start over.

The New York Times - Travel

The EFA report is particular damning about the failures of the school's governors, saying that they did not understand their financial responsibilities and so could not discharge them.

The Guardian

In practice, its transition to the "big society" means little more than dumping state functions on to the voluntary sector, without the money required to discharge them.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about medical contexts, ensure that using "discharge them" is appropriate by confirming the patient is in a stable condition and has been given adequate aftercare instructions.

Common error

Avoid using "discharge them" in contexts where a more specific term like "release", "dismiss", or "expel" would be more appropriate. The context must support the idea of a formal release from a duty, obligation or institution.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "discharge them" functions as a verb phrase, specifically a transitive verb followed by a direct object. According to Ludwig AI, it indicates the act of releasing someone or something from a duty, obligation, or place, as seen in the Ludwig examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

41%

Science

34%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Social Media

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "discharge them" is grammatically correct and very commonly used, as validated by Ludwig AI. It typically conveys the act of releasing someone from a duty, obligation, or place, such as a hospital or a job. Its usage is most frequent in news and media, scientific, and formal business contexts. While the phrase is generally appropriate, being mindful of the context is recommended, as "discharge them" can have a formal or professional tone. Alternatives like "release them" or "dismiss them" might be more suitable depending on the specific situation. The examples provided by Ludwig highlight the versatility of this phrase across different domains.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

release them

This alternative offers a more general term for setting someone or something free from a constraint or obligation.

dismiss them

This implies formally ending their service or employment.

let them go

A more informal way of saying to release or dismiss them.

free them

Suggests liberation from some form of confinement or obligation.

remove them

A general term for taking them away from a certain place or position.

liberate them

Implies freeing them from oppression or captivity.

excuse them

To release someone from a duty or task.

expel them

Suggests forcing them out of a place or organization.

absolve them

Implies releasing them from guilt or blame.

acquit them

Specifically means to free them from a legal charge or accusation.

FAQs

How is "discharge them" used in a medical context?

In a medical context, "discharge them" means to release patients from a hospital or other healthcare facility after treatment, such as in the sentence "Psychiatric hospitals that once offered patients months of talk therapy now discharge them within days with only pills."

What are some alternatives to "discharge them" in a formal setting?

In formal settings, you could use alternatives such as "release them", "dismiss them", or "relieve them of their duties" depending on the specific context.

Is it appropriate to use "discharge them" when referring to employees?

Yes, "discharge them" can be used in the context of ending someone's employment, although more common terms might be "terminate" or "dismiss". For instance, "Mr. Yudhoyono said he advised the police chief and the attorney general to suspend those whose names were mentioned in the tape recordings and discharge them from their duties".

What is the difference between "discharge them" and "release them"?

"Discharge them" often implies a formal release from a duty, obligation, or institution (like a hospital or employment), while "release them" is a more general term that can refer to setting someone or something free from any form of constraint or confinement.