disperse

Definition of dispersenext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 In the late summer and fall, Callery pears produce small brown fruit, which birds and squirrels collect and disperse. Jerry Wu, Chicago Tribune, 11 May 2026 The private credit industry has pushed back against those comparisons, arguing that losses are dispersed across investors rather than concentrated inside the banking system. Hugh Son, CNBC, 11 May 2026 The geography of imbalances is now more dispersed than the old framing suggested. James Broughel, Forbes.com, 10 May 2026 As Hayek understood, knowledge is dispersed in a world too complicated for any central planner to ever wrap their heads around. The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 8 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for disperse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disperse
Verb
  • This waste occurs because high-energy electrons generated by sunlight rapidly dissipate their excess energy as heat before they can be converted into useful work.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 14 May 2026
  • If it can be said that a honeymoon period prevailed following the 2021 agreements, that sense of fellow feeling has long since dissipated.
    Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 11 May 2026
Verb
  • Set the scene Located on a private estancia in view of the famous blue towers of Torres del Paine National Park, Awasi Patagonia is one of the handful of high-end boutique hotels scattered amongst the alpine desert of Patagonia.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 May 2026
  • Corpses were scattered across the village.
    Annie Hylton, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
Verb
  • The subject of the Wings documentary Man on the Run, McCartney debuted on SNL in 1980, a year before that group disbanded.
    William Vaillancourt, Rolling Stone, 17 May 2026
  • Police officials said Tuesday that the anti-gang unit would be temporarily disbanded while the department reviews the matter.
    Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Verb
  • Jewelry couriers carrying armored cases disappear into the famously tiny elevators.
    Melinda Sheckells, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2026
  • In one scene, Misael disappears entirely from the forest as the canine roams around in the background while a calf grazes up front.
    Vadim Rizov, IndieWire, 16 May 2026
Verb
  • Then the country’s primary distributor of print books to public libraries went bankrupt after nearly 200 years, dissolving early this year.
    Adeel Hassan, New York Times, 18 May 2026
  • Oats are an excellent source of soluble fiber, a type of fiber that dissolves in water.
    Kirsten Nunez, Martha Stewart, 17 May 2026
Verb
  • In terms of where to beach, wide stretches of sand in Beach Haven remain some of the Jersey Shore’s most desirable, drawing surfers at sunrise, families hauling coolers and striped umbrellas by midday, and sunset walkers lingering until the sky fades pink over the dunes.
    Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 May 2026
  • Inside, customers collect passport stamps, browse racks of worn leather and faded denim and line up for limited-edition tote bags tied to the second annual Vintage Store Day.
    Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 15 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Disperse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disperse. Accessed 19 May. 2026.

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