dispersal

noun

dis·​pers·​al di-ˈspər-səl 

: the act or result of dispersing

especially : the process or result of the spreading of organisms from one place to another

Synonyms of dispersal

• dispersion
• scattering

Examples of dispersal in a Sentence

the dispersal of plant seeds in the forests through natural means

Recent Examples on the Web

About half of the arrests were people who remained on the Peninsula after police issued a dispersal order, authorities said. — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026

The Israeli military told NPR that during an operation in Nablus, Palestinians had thrown rocks at the soldiers who responded with what the military called crowd-dispersal measures and later with live fire. — Ruth Sherlock, NPR, 26 June 2026

These sweet fruits attract birds and other animals in the summer, which encourages seed dispersal and the rapid spread of the plants through their feces. — The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 25 June 2026

And for species with limited dispersal abilities, these geological changes can act like giant evolutionary experiments. — Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1821, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for dispersal

• rehearsal
• reversal
• transversal
• traversal
• bursal
• versal
• universal

Kids Definition

dispersal

noun

dis·​pers·​al dis-ˈpər-səl 

: the act or result of dispersing

Medical Definition

dispersal

noun

dis·​pers·​al dis-ˈpər-səl 

: the act or result of dispersing

specifically : the process or result of the spreading of organisms from one place to another