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
• 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

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

Recent Examples of disperse

Verb

Federal officers' use of chemical munitions such as tear gas to disperse crowds at the building is the subject of two lawsuits, brought by nearby residents and protesters respectively, that are currently before a federal appeals court. —ABC News, 30 Mar. 2026

Those who refused to disperse, including vandals, were arrested following warnings. —Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 30 Mar. 2026

Verb

The devices are designed to be dispersed from aircraft over a wide area to disable vehicles and restrict movement. —Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 27 Mar. 2026

Over the past year, groups of a few hundred migrants have typically dispersed within days without traveling beyond southern Mexico. —Arkansas Online, 26 Mar. 2026