dissipate

verb

dis·​si·​pate ˈdi-sə-ˌpāt How to pronounce dissipate (audio)
dissipated; dissipating

transitive verb

1
a
: to break up and drive off
dissipate a crowd
b
: to cause to spread thin or scatter and gradually vanish
one's sympathy is eventually dissipatedAndrew Feinberg
c
physics : to lose (heat, electricity, etc.) irrecoverably
2
: to spend or use up wastefully or foolishly
dissipated the family fortune in reckless business ventures

intransitive verb

1
: to break up and scatter or vanish
The clouds dissipated and the sun came out.
The team's early momentum has dissipated.
2
: to be extravagant or dissolute in the pursuit of pleasure
especially : to drink to excess
his extended dissipating of the night before
dissipater noun
Choose the Right Synonym for dissipate

scatter, disperse, dissipate, dispel mean to cause to separate or break up.

scatter implies a force that drives parts or units irregularly in many directions.

the bowling ball scattered the pins

disperse implies a wider separation and a complete breaking up of a mass or group.

police dispersed the crowd

dissipate stresses complete disintegration or dissolution and final disappearance.

the fog was dissipated by the morning sun

dispel stresses a driving away or getting rid of as if by scattering.

an authoritative statement that dispelled all doubt

Examples of dissipate in a Sentence

The morning sun dissipated the fog. The fog should dissipate soon.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
After Hurricanes Humberto and Imelda dissipated in the Atlantic, forecasters are watching the tropics for any sign of a storm stirring up that might impact the United States, but things are relatively quiet at the moment. Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025 Life fast-forwards these reactions with enzymes, enabling microbes to seize the energy that would otherwise dissipate. Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 3 Oct. 2025 As a result, reliance on these reports for securities claims does not appear to be dissipating. Tim Reynolds, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2025 Or was this a hot streak that will dissipate in time? Fred Katz, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dissipate

Word History

Etymology

Latin dissipatus, past participle of dissipare, dissupare, from dis- + supare to throw

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of dissipate was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dissipate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dissipate. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

dissipate

verb
dis·​si·​pate ˈdis-ə-ˌpāt How to pronounce dissipate (audio)
dissipated; dissipating
1
: to break up and drive off
dissipate a crowd
2
: to use up wastefully or foolishly : squander
dissipated his fortune
3
: to separate into parts and scatter or vanish
4
: to be unrestrained in the pursuit of pleasure
especially : to drink to excess

Legal Definition

dissipate

transitive verb
dis·​si·​pate ˈdi-sə-ˌpāt How to pronounce dissipate (audio)
dissipated; dissipating
: to use (marital assets) for one's own benefit and to the exclusion of one's spouse for a purpose unrelated to the marriage at a time when the marriage is undergoing an irretrievable breakdown
dissipation noun

More from Merriam-Webster on dissipate

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