defuse
verb
Did you know?
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.
Examples of defuse in a Sentence
Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
The suit alleges the cops violated the NYPD’s use of force policy and rules surrounding responding to people in emotional distress, which counsels the use of time and calm words to defuse the situation.
—Graham Rayman, New York Daily News, 23 June 2025
Brown did not back down from Neto and started walking toward Neto and barking at the Angels shortstop as the home plate umpire stepped in front of Neto to try and defuse the situation.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 21 June 2025
Two members of Nadler’s staff had gone downstairs to observe and, when tensions flared, invited the activists upstairs to defuse the situation.
—Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for defuse
Cite this Entry
“Defuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defuse. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
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