defuse

verb

de·​fuse (ˌ)dē-ˈfyüz 

defused; defusing; defuses

transitive verb

1

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

2

: to make less harmful, potent, or tense

defuse a crisis

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

Skilled negotiators helped defuse the crisis.

Recent Examples on the Web

His Major Will Tranter is tasked with defusing what appears to be a massive, unexploded World War II bomb smack in the middle of London. —Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 23 Apr. 2026

Starmer already defused one potential crisis in February, when some Labour lawmakers urged him to resign over the Mandelson appointment. —ABC News, 21 Apr. 2026

Starmer has already defused one potential crisis in February, when some Labour lawmakers urged him to resign over the Mandelson appointment. —Jill Lawless, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026

But in stunning back-to-back announcements, Swalwell and Gonzales quickly defused the brewing expulsion campaign by taking matters into their own hands and announcing their exits from Congress. —Mike Lillis, The Hill, 14 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1943, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for defuse

• accrues
• accuse
• aircrews
• amuse
• bamboos
• breakthroughs
• canoes
• cashews
• chartreuse
• confuse
• construes
• ensues