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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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 Every team has concluded Organized Team Activities and minicamps, and players have dispersed for a summer break. Jim Reineking, USA Today, 24 June 2025 Driving through the Langhe Hills provides a convenient way to visit this and other wineries, wine shops, and attractions dispersed throughout the scenic villages in the Barolo DOCG. Irene S. Levine, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025 Monday’s incident comes after police were forced to disperse a group of around 500 teenagers on Jones Beach in New York City earlier this month, where multiple brawls broke out. Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 24 June 2025 The harmonies disperse and gravitate toward tonal nodes, until, suddenly, stunningly, pure E-flat major materializes. Alex Ross, New Yorker, 23 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for disperse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disperse
Verb
  • 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
  • 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
Verb
  • Whistles and boos met Chelsea possessions and when Pedro Neto scored the opening goal for the Blues in the 13th minute, the cheers from the blue end of the field were overtaken by the screams of rebuttal from the Flamengo fans scattered around this massive stadium.
    Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 20 June 2025
  • Art is scattered throughout, selected by Austrian gallerist and Benan’s friend Thaddaeus Ropac, who picked sculptures by Erwin Wurm for the windows and Not Vital artworks to hang on walls throughout the boutique.
    Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 20 June 2025
Verb
  • The president has also made sweeping changes at the Federal Emergency Management Agency, including canceling grants and cutting staff, and has suggested disbanding the agency altogether as soon as this fall.
    Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2025
  • For a band that only released music for about half a decade, Creedence Clearwater Revival has done incredibly well for itself, especially in the decades since the group disbanded.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
Verb
  • While the boldest headlines tell how people are literally snatched off the streets, are being disappeared to foreign prisons, news that often receives less attention reveals that our civil liberties are also being snatched up, one by one.
    Michael Pfleger, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2025
  • The man formerly known as Robert Prevost has somewhat disappeared ...
    Michael Brendan Dougherty, National Review, 29 June 2025
Verb
  • 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
  • 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
Verb
  • Once the uncertainty begins to fade, capital returns more quickly than most anticipate.
    Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
  • The red measurement markings also have a tendency to fade over time, especially with frequent dishwasher use.
    Francesca Krempa, Bon Appetit Magazine, 20 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Disperse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disperse. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.

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