disperse

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

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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

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb disperse differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of disperse are dispel, dissipate, and scatter. While all these words mean "to cause to separate or break up," disperse implies a wider separation and a complete breaking up of a mass or group.

police dispersed the crowd

When can dispel be used instead of disperse?

Although the words dispel and disperse have much in common, dispel stresses a driving away or getting rid of as if by scattering.

an authoritative statement that dispelled all doubt

When could dissipate be used to replace disperse?

The meanings of dissipate and disperse largely overlap; however, dissipate stresses complete disintegration or dissolution and final disappearance.

the fog was dissipated by the morning sun

When would scatter be a good substitute for disperse?

The words scatter and disperse can be used in similar contexts, but scatter implies a force that drives parts or units irregularly in many directions.

the bowling ball scattered the pins

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 disperse This discovery suggests that turtles dispersed rapidly across Pangaea, despite their size and speed. Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 July 2025 With helicopters dispersing bait across treacherous terrain, the project successfully removed invasive rodents that had devastated seabird colonies for over two centuries. Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 6 July 2025 He is accused of injuring a police officer with a flagpole on June 11 after officers ordered protesters to disperse outside a Whittier hotel where federal immigration agents were rumored to be staying. Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2025 Cincinnati Health Centers Cincinnati Health Department has numerous public health centers dispersed throughout the city's 52 neighborhoods. Erin Couch, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for disperse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disperse
Verb
  • The firm says that its models suggest the sediment plumes would dissipate to background levels within two miles, only impacting the area immediately surrounding the mining operation.
    Daniel Ackerman, NPR, 30 June 2025
  • Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Barry dissipated over Mexico, and Tropical Storm Flossie has formed off southern Mexico’s Pacific coast.
    Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 30 June 2025
Verb
  • With 55 kitchens on site, Wimbledon offers a mix of grab-and-go options alongside multiple sit-down restaurants scattered across the site.
    Tim Newcomb, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • Still, these efforts remain too small and too scattered.
    Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, semafor.com, 30 June 2025
Verb
  • When Soundgarden reunited in 2010, Cameron was a member of both groups, though Soundgarden later disbanded after lead singer Chris Cornell died in 2017.
    Rachel DeSantis, People.com, 7 July 2025
  • When the village disbanded the police department, outgoing Police Chief Jacob Tenbrink told The Enquirer then that Addyston might need to be absorbed by Miami Township to survive.
    Sharon Coolidge, The Enquirer, 3 July 2025
Verb
  • The child disappeared in June of that year but wasn’t reported missing until July when Caylee’s grandmother learned that Anthony hadn’t seen her daughter in a month.
    Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 12 July 2025
  • The authors hope to continue to investigate how other developmental genes across other sea spider species may have appeared or disappeared throughout their life history, per Earth.com, potentially affecting their abdomens.
    Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 July 2025
Verb
  • The powerful Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) was dissolved and has only recently reassembled under new leadership on June 16.
    Mayu Saini, Sourcing Journal, 27 June 2025
  • Unfortunately, these were delayed or dissolved, led to board tensions and senior executive changes, and slowed the effort.
    Sabbir Rangwala, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • Sunscreen, chlorine, saltwater, and even rough drying habits can wear down the fabric, leaving colors faded and suits stretched out.
    Gabi De la Rosa, Southern Living, 5 July 2025
  • The door now sighs a soft goodbye,As echoes fade and memories fly.
    Melonee Hurt, The Tennessean, 4 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Disperse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disperse. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.

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