dissipate 1 of 2

dissipate

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb dissipate differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of dissipate are dispel, disperse, and scatter. While all these words mean "to cause to separate or break up," dissipate stresses complete disintegration or dissolution and final disappearance.

the fog was dissipated by the morning sun

When could dispel be used to replace dissipate?

In some situations, the words dispel and dissipate are roughly equivalent. However, dispel stresses a driving away or getting rid of as if by scattering.

an authoritative statement that dispelled all doubt

When might disperse be a better fit than dissipate?

The synonyms disperse and dissipate are sometimes interchangeable, but disperse implies a wider separation and a complete breaking up of a mass or group.

police dispersed the crowd

When can scatter be used instead of dissipate?

While the synonyms scatter and dissipate are close in meaning, 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 dissipate
Verb
Ashley stayed by his side through it all, past the altar and into the reunion, but the stench of the scandal never really dissipated. Charlotte Walsh, Vulture, 5 May 2025 Some analysts said Friday's data, which covers only the first two weeks of April, reflects conditions that are already dissipating. Rob Wile, NBC news, 2 May 2025 After a hot shower, our bathroom mirror wasn’t fogged, and moisture in the room dissipated quickly. Molly Blanco, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 May 2025 This week, scientists reported seeing a substantial decline in the algae at some monitoring spots along the coast, an indication the bloom might be dissipating. Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for dissipate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dissipate
Verb
  • But the information that has been dispersed online about this change may not have included the entire picture, and may have even been unintentionally misleading or confusing.
    Parents, Parents, 9 May 2025
  • In the background of one video on social media, a voice could be heard over a loudspeaker telling protesters to disperse.
    Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 8 May 2025
Verb
  • Residents of the 8th Congressional District spend an average of 13% of their household income on energy — the highest in the state, according to Department of Commerce data.
    Tom Olsen, Twin Cities, 14 May 2025
  • Combs could spend the rest of his life in prison if convicted.
    Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 14 May 2025
Verb
  • Micah, then 34, went missing in March 2018, and Baylee, then 20, disappeared in April, per Marie Claire.
    Emily Krauser, People.com, 12 May 2025
  • On October 2, 2018, Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi Arabian dissident who, after leaving his home country, had become an opinion columnist for the Post, disappeared while visiting the Saudi Embassy in Istanbul.
    Clare Malone, New Yorker, 12 May 2025
Noun
  • For example, default settings for focus time added blocking of sites in the categories Shopping, Tabloids, and Time wasters.
    PCMAG, PCMAG, 13 Jan. 2025
  • Photo: Brown Harris Stevens Above the bedroom is a double-height library, which turns the sloping ceiling behind a mansard roof into a design feature rather than a space waster.
    Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 24 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • The Lions were a laughingstock of the NFL and made the playoffs three times from 2000-20, losing in the wild-card round each time.
    Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 10 May 2025
  • Bernie Madoff Bernie Madoff, infamous for the largest Ponzi scheme in U.S. history, lost a personal net worth estimated at $823-$826 million before his 2008 downfall.
    Jack Kelly, Forbes.com, 10 May 2025
Verb
  • But the Supreme Court dissolved the order before any delay on an appeal by the attorney general.
    Daniel McFadin, Arkansas Online, 14 May 2025
  • With only three months to negotiate a lasting trade agreement, the current reprieve could dissolve if talks stall or reverse.
    Shannon Carroll, Quartz, 13 May 2025
Noun
  • Finally, the claimant failed to prove that the spendthrift provision in the trust, which is critical to the protection the trust provided, should be invalidated.
    Martin Shenkman, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025
  • That is often viewed by us profligate, protein-burning, fat-loving energy spendthrifts as an inferior form of metabolism.
    Stephen S. Hall, Time, 21 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Advisors who can build trust and act as a central coordinator for these services are invaluable—and often become long-term partners even after the spotlight fades.
    Jason Katz, Forbes.com, 18 May 2025
  • The tattoos on his right bicep remain highly visible, while the ink on his left arm has considerably faded due to laser tattoo removal.
    Madison E. Goldberg, People.com, 17 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dissipate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dissipate. Accessed 24 May. 2025.

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