diffuse 1 of 2

diffuse

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective diffuse differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of diffuse are prolix, verbose, and wordy. While all these words mean "using more words than necessary to express thought," diffuse stresses lack of compactness and pointedness of style.

diffuse memoirs that are so many shaggy-dog stories

When would prolix be a good substitute for diffuse?

The meanings of prolix and diffuse largely overlap; however, prolix suggests unreasonable and tedious dwelling on details.

habitually transformed brief anecdotes into prolix sagas

When is verbose a more appropriate choice than diffuse?

While the synonyms verbose and diffuse are close in meaning, verbose suggests a resulting dullness, obscurity, or lack of incisiveness or precision.

the verbose position papers

Where would wordy be a reasonable alternative to diffuse?

Although the words wordy and diffuse have much in common, wordy may also imply loquaciousness or garrulity.

a wordy speech

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of diffuse
Adjective
The red regions toward the top of this image are areas where dust clouds are relatively diffuse. Jake Parks, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2022 Dragonfly 44 and its ilk are known as ultra-diffuse galaxies (UDGs). Lyndie Chiou, Quanta Magazine, 7 Nov. 2022
Verb
The world isn’t safer if power is diffused away from the American center and countries seek to fill the void within their various spheres of influence. Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 1 May 2025 Like an epic poem told through a multitude of voices, Miguel Gomes’s Grand Tour is a movie of unorthodox sweep and diffuse grace. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 28 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for diffuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for diffuse
Adjective
  • Refine your key points to be clear and concise—no rambling monologues.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
  • In the early morning hours of Dec. 26, 1996, Patsy Ramsey called 911 to report her 6-year-old daughter JonBenét missing, and found a rambling ransom note left inside their Boulder, Colorado, home.
    Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 20 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Scientists are still searching for answers about how Y. pestis evolved and dispersed, but recent analysis of ancient and modern Y. pestis samples revealed how plague managed to persist among humans for hundreds of years after pandemic waves petered out.
    Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 3 June 2025
  • Impact grants now allow up to $20,000 to be dispersed per business.
    Erin Yarnall, Chicago Tribune, 3 June 2025
Adjective
  • The artwork is silly and exaggerated to capture youngsters’ attention.
    BestReviews, Mercury News, 28 May 2025
  • Uber Technologies Woods named Uber his favorite long-term stock, and said any notion that Tesla could pose a competitive threat to the ride sharing company is exaggerated.
    Brian Evans, CNBC, 22 May 2025
Verb
  • This collection of disarming portrayals depicts realities and dispels stereotypes, and potentially even shifts real-world behaviors.
    Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 5 June 2025
  • And, for at least some die-hards, the rough patch hasn’t dispelled confidence.
    Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 4 June 2025
Adjective
  • My favorite early fact about Pope Bob from Chicago comes from his talkative brother John.
    Kathryn Jean Lopez, National Review, 12 May 2025
  • Audiences that get hyped up, like Thai audiences, are like talkative people.
    Billboard Japan, Billboard, 4 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Whatever was bottling up the Mets’ offense over the last week finally dissipated in a 5-1 win over the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday night at Fenway Park.
    Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 22 May 2025
  • Now Trump is back in office and flirting openly with authoritarianism—but the defiant energy that swept the arts during his first administration seems dissipated and tentative.
    Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 22 May 2025
Adjective
  • Those transported to the hospital were conscious and communicative at the time of transport, according to Diablo Valley College.
    Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 24 May 2025
  • Jen is super communicative, popular, and wise, linking her spiritual vibe with the Air sign.
    Lisa Stardust, People.com, 14 May 2025
Verb
  • The primary suite radiates a somber sort of opulence.
    Daniel Cote, Robb Report, 4 June 2025
  • That attitude radiated through each look on the runway, where every model felt like a character in an Autty Simone dreamworld.
    Karissa Mitchell, Essence, 2 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Diffuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/diffuse. Accessed 9 Jun. 2025.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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