defuse

verb de·fuse \ (ˌ)dē-ˈfyüz \

Updated on: 8 Apr 2018

Definition of defuse

transitive verb

1 : to remove the fuse from (a mine, a bomb. etc.)

2 : to make less harmful, potent, or tense

defuse a crisis

See defuse defined for English-language learners

Examples of defuse in a Sentence

Skilled negotiators helped defuse the crisis.

Recent Examples of defuse from the Web

The goal is to encourage officers to try to defuse confrontations or use less deadly weapons, said Assemblyman Kevin McCarty (D) of Sacramento, who is co-authoring the legislation.

— don thompson, The Christian Science Monitor, "California proposal would significantly restrict when officers can open fire," 4 Apr. 2018
The goal is to encourage officers to try to defuse confrontations or use less-lethal weapons, said Terry Schanz, a spokesman for Assemblyman Kevin McCarty of Sacramento.

— don thompson, chicagotribune.com, "California eyes new lethal force law that would significantly restrict when officers can fire," 3 Apr. 2018
By hosting Kim before anyone else, Xi very effectively reasserted China’s primary role in defusing tensions on the Korean Peninsula, which has long been a key national security concern for Beijing.

— Washington Post, "Kim Jong Un’s China visit may be start of his world travels," 28 Mar. 2018
Yet Kim has made several gestures in recent months to defuse long-simmering tensions between his country and the U.S., South Korea and China.

— jonathan kaiman, latimes.com, "China confirms that North Korea's Kim Jong Un was in Beijing for talks with Xi Jinping," 28 Mar. 2018
But the two appeared headed for a meeting that might defuse tensions after Trump accepted an offer from the North Korea leader this month relayed by South Korean officials visiting Washington.

— bill lambrecht, San Antonio Express-News, "Congressman Castro believes Trump wants a war," 27 Mar. 2018
Trump also has an unshakeable belief that he is uniquely positioned to defuse a dangerous standoff with Moscow by courting Putin.

— stephen collinson and zachary cohen, CNN, "Why Trump won't call Putin's election win a 'sham'," 21 Mar. 2018
Xi’s top diplomat, Yang Jiechi, and his top economic adviser, Liu He, made trips to Washington last month in a bid to defuse tensions, but failed to ward off a looming storm over trade.

— simon denyer, BostonGlobe.com, "Key ally of China’s Xi elected vice president," 17 Mar. 2018
Ri's surprise trip to Stockholm has taken on added significance due to expectations that a Trump-Kim summit could defuse the tensions over North Korea's nuclear weapons program.

— Fox News, "North Korean minister to meet again with Swedish counterpart," 17 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'defuse.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

defuse or diffuse?

Many people find it difficult to remember the difference between defuse and diffuse, and when faced with the need for one of these words simply grab whichever one first comes to mind. But it needn’t be this way: the meanings of these two are quite a bit different, and there is a simple way to differentiate between them. Defuse is formed by adding the prefix de- to the word fuse; you are removing the fuse (either literally or figuratively) when you defuse a situation, much as defanging something entails removing the fangs. Diffuse, when used as a verb, tends to carry meanings such as “spread” or “scatter.” Additionally, diffuse is the only one which may be found used as an adjective.

First Known Use of defuse

1943

DEFUSE Defined for English Language Learners

defuse

verb

Definition of defuse for English Language Learners

: 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)