Synonyms of disperse

disperse 1 of 2

verb (1)

di-ˈspərs 

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

• dissipate
• scatter
• disappear
• dissolve
• fade
• disassemble
• evaporate
• disband
• divide
• diverge
• melt
• spill
• flee
• separate
• fork
• branch (out)
• clear
• break up
• evanesce
• go (away)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• meet
• gather
• congregate

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

• scatter
• dissipate
• disband
• dispel
• separate
• isolate
• spread
• segregate
• squander
• diffuse
• disseminate
• clear out
• split (up)
• part
• diverge
• break up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• collect
• gather
• concentrate
• assemble
• congregate
• cluster
• conglomerate
• unite
• unify
• ingather
• agglutinate

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

• disband
• dissolve
• break up
• demobilize

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• join
• unite
• incorporate
• consolidate
• band
• hang together

dispersed

2 of 2

verb (2)

past tense of disperse

1

as in dissipated

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

• dissipated
• scattered
• disappeared
• dissolved
• faded
• disassembled
• divided
• evaporated
• disbanded
• separated
• melted
• spilled
• diverged
• fled
• forked
• spilt
• went (away)
• branched (out)
• broke up
• cleared
• evanesced

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• gathered
• met
• congregated

2

as in scattered

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

• scattered
• dissipated
• disbanded
• separated
• isolated
• dispelled
• spread
• segregated
• squandered
• diffused
• cleared out
• disseminated
• parted
• split (up)
• broke up
• diverged

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• collected
• assembled
• concentrated
• gathered
• clustered
• congregated
• ingathered
• united
• unified
• agglutinated
• conglomerated

3

as in disbanded

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

• disbanded
• dissolved
• broke up
• demobilized

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• joined
• united
• incorporated
• banded
• consolidated
• hung together

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of disperse

Verb

Ash will disperse farther away from the mountain but aircraft should avoid it as volcanic ash can damage engine parts. —Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025

The last time there were protests the regime employed sound cannons, a type of acoustic weapon that disperses crowds in a second and causes long-lasting psychological damage. —Sara Stridsberg september 15, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2025

Verb

People pay varying fees to the district courts, and those funds are dispersed broadly. —Kansas City Star, 13 Sep. 2025

On the other hand, once opportunities are lost and talent is dispersed, rebuilding takes far more time and resources. —Zeynep Hasgül, The Conversation, 12 Sep. 2025