defuse

de·fuse

transitive verb \(ˌ)dē-ˈfyüz\

: to make (something) less serious, difficult, or tense

: to remove the part of (an explosive) that makes it explode : to remove the fuse from (an explosive)

Full Definition of DEFUSE

1

:  to remove the fuse from (as a mine or bomb)

2

:  to make less harmful, potent, or tense <defuse the crisis>

Examples of DEFUSE

1. Skilled negotiators helped defuse the crisis.
2. Her joke diffused the tension in the room.

First Known Use of DEFUSE

1943

Rhymes with DEFUSE

abuse, accuse, amuse, Andrews, bad news, bemuse, berceuse, chanteuse, charmeuse, chartreuse, coiffeuse, confuse, contuse, danseuse, diffuse, diseuse, disuse, effuse, enthuse, excuse, ill-use, incuse, infuse, masseuse, misuse, perfuse, peruse, recluse, recuse, refuse, reuse, short fuse, suffuse, Toulouse, transfuse, vendeuse