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
Examples of dispersal in a Sentence
the dispersal of plant seeds in the forests through natural means
Recent Examples on the Web
Yet evolving into eye candy for humans has meant that designer ball pythons, when viewed at the species level, enjoy some of the evolutionary advantages of domestic animals, including wide dispersal.
—
Rebecca Giggs, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2024
The large pink wader’s appearance also highlights the beginning of the annual post-breeding dispersal of southern herons, egrets, spoonbills, and storks north into the piedmont of the Carolinas.
—Taylor Piephoff, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024
This process also mimics what natural seed dispersal might do.
—Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Mar. 2024
Thanks to the unique exterior vents, this monitor will also improve heat dispersal even during more demanding play sessions.
—PCMAG, 13 Jan. 2023
But eventually, the host has to die; the point is to keep the host alive long enough to reach the best spots for maximum dispersal of new spores.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 19 Jan. 2023
These tensions, combined with the dispersal of the leaders, weakened Hamas’s external organization.
—Foreign Affairs, 11 Dec. 2023
The panel published a 57-page executive summary of their findings in 2014, of which only seven pages addressed the Rabaa dispersal.
—Cnn Staff, CNN, 18 Aug. 2023
When one species relies on another for such dispersal, it's known as phoresy.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 26 June 2023
Rebecca Giggs, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2024
The large pink wader’s appearance also highlights the beginning of the annual post-breeding dispersal of southern herons, egrets, spoonbills, and storks north into the piedmont of the Carolinas.
—Taylor Piephoff, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024
This process also mimics what natural seed dispersal might do.
—Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Mar. 2024
Thanks to the unique exterior vents, this monitor will also improve heat dispersal even during more demanding play sessions.
—PCMAG, 13 Jan. 2023
But eventually, the host has to die; the point is to keep the host alive long enough to reach the best spots for maximum dispersal of new spores.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 19 Jan. 2023
These tensions, combined with the dispersal of the leaders, weakened Hamas’s external organization.
—Foreign Affairs, 11 Dec. 2023
The panel published a 57-page executive summary of their findings in 2014, of which only seven pages addressed the Rabaa dispersal.
—Cnn Staff, CNN, 18 Aug. 2023
When one species relies on another for such dispersal, it's known as phoresy.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 26 June 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dispersal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near dispersal
Cite this Entry
“Dispersal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dispersal. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids 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
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