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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of disperse
Through emulsification, essentially gradually adding one ingredient to another while rapidly mixing, disperses tiny drops of one of those liquids into the other to form a uniform blend.
—
Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Sep. 2025
In that instance, a large number of officers arrived and dispersed the crowd through verbal commands.
—David Clarey, jsonline.com, 2 Sep. 2025
When the summer crowds disperse but the winter chill has yet to set in, America’s shoulder seasons reveal a quieter, more rewarding side of travel.
—Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 2 Sep. 2025
They were barred from entering the festival complex but after a brief stand-off turned around and peacefully dispersed.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 31 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disperse
Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Sep. 2025
In that instance, a large number of officers arrived and dispersed the crowd through verbal commands.
—David Clarey, jsonline.com, 2 Sep. 2025
When the summer crowds disperse but the winter chill has yet to set in, America’s shoulder seasons reveal a quieter, more rewarding side of travel.
—Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 2 Sep. 2025
They were barred from entering the festival complex but after a brief stand-off turned around and peacefully dispersed.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 31 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disperse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disperse
Verb
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Much resistance to multifamily housing in single-family neighborhoods would dissipate if the state would require landlords to maintain their property, said Fayetteville resident Angela Belford of the Belford Group marketing firm.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
4 Sep. 2025
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However, Milei could surprise critics by pragmatically adjusting his economic model to dissipate internal tensions while maintaining political centrality sufficient to win upcoming midterm elections and re-election in 2027.—
Agustino Fontevecchia,
Forbes.com,
31 Aug. 2025
Verb
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This set includes eight in saturated tones, plus 30 faux maple leaves that are surprisingly detailed and great for scattering along a mantle or layering into a centerpiece.—
Toni Sutton,
PEOPLE,
5 Sep. 2025
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Indeed, their many years together reveal themselves as the vital heart of Romano’s own artistic output, as scattered throughout these pages appear pieces of her earlier books and, especially, poems, which come to assume the aura of dreamlike premonitions.—
Brian Robert Moore
September 5,
Literary Hub,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Davies, who also played keyboards and harmonica, carried the band forward after Hodgson's departure in 1983 but disbanded the group by the end of the decade.—
Taijuan Moorman,
USA Today,
8 Sep. 2025
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The group released eight studio albums together, but in 1980, following Bonham’s death, Led Zeppelin disbanded.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Join the thousands of shoppers who have already scooped up these under-the-radar sales that are about to disappear.—
Isabel Garcia,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
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Examples include a Brazilian boy who had his pancreatic malformation disappear in 2013.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The band’s foundation was built on the joint songwriting of Davies and Hodgson, who sang lead on most of Supertramp’s hits, but their partnership was beginning to dissolve by the early 1980s.—
David Chiu,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
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Some samples were kept sealed to enable study of ancient gases dissolved in the water.—
Rodrique Ngowi,
Fortune,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Midnight blue, a heavier shade, has been favored in recent years as the summer fades and fall approaches.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
6 Sep. 2025
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As the sun set over the East River, the music faded but the warmth lingered.—
Essence,
Essence,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Disperse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disperse. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.
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