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
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Examples of defuse in a Sentence
Skilled negotiators helped defuse the crisis.
Recent Examples of defuse from the Web
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Authorities tried Thursday to defuse complaints about potential business disruption.
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Back channels helped defuse the Cuban Missile Crisis, too.
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The guys came to her defense and Cox tried to defuse the situation.
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To defuse the scandal, the European Union stepped in to help the four main political parties — the conservative VMRO-DPMNE, the Social Democrats, and two small ethnic Albanian parties — negotiate next steps.
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The government has tolerated some protests but tries to defuse demonstrations and block criticism of senior party leaders.
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Sloss, the South Pasadena resident, has taken classes that have taught him to better communicate with his parents and defuse confrontational behavior.
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Earlier in the year, Google also apologized to a Chinese authors’ group over its scanning of books by local writers into an online search system, moving to defuse copyright concerns around the project in China.
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.
1943
First Known Use of defuse
1943
DEFUSE Defined for English Language Learners
defuse
playDefinition of defuse for English Language Learners
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: to make (something) less serious, difficult, or tense
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: to remove the part of (an explosive) that makes it explode : to remove the fuse from (an explosive)
Learn More about defuse
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See words that rhyme with defuse Spanish Central: Translation of defuse Nglish: Translation of defuse for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of defuse for Arabic speakers
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