1
as in to dissipate
to go off in different directions and cease to exist as a body or unified whole
the crowd dispersed once the show ended
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to scatter
to cause (members of a group) to move widely apart
the family of the missing woman dispersed searchers to all corners of the national park
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to disband
to cease to exist or cause to cease to exist as a group or organization
the campaign staff dispersed almost immediately after the election
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of disperse
Fragmented Data: Data dispersed across various systems complicates consolidation and analysis.
—
Ranganath Taware, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025
The heavy smoke, traveling from west to east, should disperse by Tuesday morning.
—Kristi Miller, Twin Cities, 10 Aug. 2025
As the scrum dispersed, Vrabel got to his feet with a streak of blood running down his right cheek.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 6 Aug. 2025
By the time the elder woman came down the road carrying the baby, the wind — which historical weather reports indicate was at its strongest right after the bombing — had dispersed most of the smoke, and the temple had become visible.
—Gary Knight, Rolling Stone, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disperse
Ranganath Taware, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025
The heavy smoke, traveling from west to east, should disperse by Tuesday morning.
—Kristi Miller, Twin Cities, 10 Aug. 2025
As the scrum dispersed, Vrabel got to his feet with a streak of blood running down his right cheek.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 6 Aug. 2025
By the time the elder woman came down the road carrying the baby, the wind — which historical weather reports indicate was at its strongest right after the bombing — had dispersed most of the smoke, and the temple had become visible.
—Gary Knight, Rolling Stone, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disperse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disperse
Verb
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The storm is expected to dissipate in the Atlantic Ocean over the course of the week, according to Fox affiliate WTVT-TV.—
Abigail Adams,
People.com,
4 Aug. 2025
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The sewage can dissipate through the cove or enter the Connecticut River through Folly Brook.—
Elijah Polance,
Hartford Courant,
3 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Her mother was a nurse, her aunts and distant cousins all nurses and maids and cleaners scattered everywhere from Jeddah to Singapore to Rome.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Aug. 2025
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Stomach-churning violence and queasy conversations are scattered regularly enough to keep viewers on the edge of their seats.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Aug. 2025
Verb
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This year alone, the U.S. Park Police have disbanded about 70 encampments from federal parks in the city, said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
14 Aug. 2025
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What To Know South Korea's active-duty force now numbers 450,000, down by about 110,000 from 2019, with 17 divisions having been disbanded or merged.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Since then, that offensive production has all but disappeared.—
John Shipley,
Twin Cities,
17 Aug. 2025
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Housing dollars dry up, environmental justice projects stall, and community investments disappear, not because the need is gone, but because the voice for them was cut out of the process.—
Lenwood V. Long,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Floor-to-ceiling glass walls slide completely open, filling every room with sunlight and dissolving the barrier between indoors and out.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
5 Aug. 2025
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In these cases, dissolving the filler with hyaluronidase removes that puffiness entirely, without the need for surgery.—
Kara Nesvig,
Allure,
4 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The company is already expanding eastward, and backlash over the CEO’s address will fade quickly.—
Phillip Molnar,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Aug. 2025
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The story of Elvis’ rise and fall hasn’t faded from the public imagination, proving irresistible to filmmakers like Sofia Coppola and Baz Luhrmann.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
7 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Disperse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disperse. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
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