dissipation

noun dis·si·pa·tion \ ˌdi-sə-ˈpā-shən \

Updated on: 19 Apr 2018

1 : the action or process of dissipating : the state of being dissipated:

a : dispersion, diffusion

the dissipation of the smoke

the dissipation of enemy forces

b archaic : dissolution, disintegration

c : wasteful expenditure

the dissipation of the family's fortune

d : intemperate living; especially : excessive drinking

2 : an act of self-indulgence

lived a life of dissipation

; especially : one that is not harmful : amusement

See dissipation defined for English-language learners

See dissipation defined for kids

Examples of dissipation in a Sentence

Insulation helps prevent the dissipation of heat from houses in the winter.
a movie about the dissipation of a famous heir's fortune
He lived a life of dissipation.

Recent Examples of dissipation from the Web

No slow dissipation for the Trashers, no aging and decline.

— rich cohen, The Atlantic, "The Mobster Who Bought His Son a Hockey Team," 14 Apr. 2018
The show uses red dust to convey the dissipation of memories.

— rebecca farley, refinery29.com, "Let's Talk About The Nutty, Devastating Ending Of Netflix's Tabula Rasa," 26 Mar. 2018
Athenian democracy lasted two centuries, the Republic of Venice a millennium, but both eventually faced decline and dissipation.

— rachel aviv, The New Yorker, "Donald Trump and the Stress Test of Liberal Democracy," 13 Mar. 2017
No, not all the important painting and sculpture produced here in the 1960s depicts figures in some state of dissipation.

— charles desmarais, San Francisco Chronicle, "‘Way Bay’ at UC Berkeley strays way off path," 26 Jan. 2018
For many fundamentalists, Trump’s profligate dissembling and decades of dissipation are further proof that their Lord moves in mysterious ways.

— nina burleigh, Newsweek, "Does God Believe in Trump? White Evangelicals are Sticking with Their "Prince of Lies"," 5 Oct. 2017
But there is scope for anxiety on behalf of the participating listener, because the gathering intensity is underwritten by the potential for dissipation.

— geoff dyer, New York Times, "My Obsession With the Necks, the Greatest Trio on Earth," 4 Oct. 2017
Today, the Western has all but faded from popular culture, perhaps paralleling the dissipation of our frontier mentality and the loss of our connection to the land in an increasingly urbanized society.

— michael auslin, National Review, "The Last Great American Western Turns 25," 3 Aug. 2017
Diuretics tend to dehydrate people; anticholinergics and antipsychotics reduce sweating and inhibit heat dissipation.

— emily atkin, New Republic, "Climate Change Is Killing Us Right Now," 20 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'dissipation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of dissipation

see dissipate

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

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dissipation Synonyms

Synonyms

corruption, corruptness, debasement, debauchery, decadence, decadency, degeneracy, degeneration, degradation, demoralization, depravity, dissipatedness, dissoluteness, perversion, rakishness, turpitude;

Near Antonyms

goodness, morality, righteousness, virtue;

filth, gangrene, rot, squalor;

DISSIPATION Defined for English Language Learners

dissipation

noun

: the process of slowly disappearing or becoming less
: the act of using all or a lot of money, time, etc., in a foolish way
: behavior that shows you are interested only in pleasure, money, etc.

DISSIPATION Defined for Kids

dissipation

noun dis·si·pa·tion \ ˌdi-sə-ˈpā-shən \

1 : the act of causing to break up and disappear

the dissipation of the fog

2 : indulgence in too much pleasure

Learn More about dissipation

See words that rhyme with dissipation Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for dissipation Spanish Central: Translation of dissipation Nglish: Translation of dissipation for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dissipation

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dissipation

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