dissipation

noun

dis·si·pa·tion | \ ˌdi-sə-ˈpā-shən

Definition of dissipation

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

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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 on the Web

Unlike most, however, Hickey found success, yet his propensity for dissipation continued. — David Gilmour, WSJ, "Five Best: David Gilmour on Memoirs of British India," 22 Feb. 2019 Like heat pipes, the vapor chamber helps wick heat from the Snapdragon 845 and disperses it over a larger surface area in the phone, which should, in theory, better aid in dissipation. — Gordon Mah Ung, PCWorld, "Razer Phone 2 hands-on: The first gaming phone gets better," 10 Oct. 2018 The report also notes that the company plans to use Intel’s 8161 5G modem chip, although there are still some technical issues around heat dissipation that need to be resolved. — Andrew Liptak, The Verge, "The phone could use Intel’s 5G modem," 3 Nov. 2018 The second generation of machines, however, uses the Snapdragon 850, a variant of the Snapdragon 845 that's designed for the bigger batteries and higher power dissipation of laptops and tablets. — Peter Bright, Ars Technica, "Samsung launches Snapdragon 850-powered Windows 2-in-1," 18 Oct. 2018 The street wasn’t always a synonym for dissipation and degradation. — Joanne Kaufman, WSJ, "‘Devil’s Mile’ Review: Dance Halls, Derelicts and Condos," 24 Aug. 2018 Overall, Asus has done a great job addressing heat dissipation on the Scar II. — Stefan Etienne, The Verge, "Asus Strix Scar II review: lights, camo, action," 17 July 2018 Leave enough space around any electrical appliance to allow for heat dissipation. — Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, "This Why You Should NEVER Plug Space Heaters Into Power Strips," 29 Nov. 2017 In sum, the Receiver must be deeply qualified to do justice and identify, collect, and protect all property subject to the receivership and minimize dissipation of estate assets. — James Freeman, WSJ, "Will Victims of a Ponzi Scheme Now Pay for a Diversity Scheme?," 5 June 2018

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.