fuse

1 of 4

verb (1)

fused; fusing

transitive verb

1
: to reduce to a liquid or plastic state by heat
the thunderstorm had fused the electric mainsC. K. Finlay
2
: to blend thoroughly by or as if by melting together : combine
Particles are fused to form a new compound.
3
: to stitch by applying heat and pressure with or without the use of an adhesive

intransitive verb

1
a
: to become fluid with heat
acetate rayon tends to fuse if pressed at too high a temperatureW. L. Carmichael
b
British : to fail because of the blowing of a fuse
2
: to become blended or joined by or as if by melting together
Dreams fuse with reality in her latest film.

fuse

2 of 4

noun (1)

: an electrical safety device consisting of or including a wire or strip of fusible metal that melts and interrupts the circuit when the current exceeds a particular amperage

fuse

3 of 4

noun (2)

1
: a continuous train of a combustible substance enclosed in a cord or cable for setting off an explosive charge by transmitting fire to it
2
or less commonly fuze : a mechanical or electrical detonating device for setting off the bursting charge of a projectile, bomb, or torpedo

fuse

4 of 4

verb (2)

variants or less commonly fuze
fused also fuzed; fusing also fuzing

transitive verb

: to equip with a fuse
Choose the Right Synonym for fuse

mix, mingle, commingle, blend, merge, coalesce, amalgamate, fuse mean to combine into a more or less uniform whole.

mix may or may not imply loss of each element's identity.

mix the salad greens
mix a drink

mingle usually suggests that the elements are still somewhat distinguishable or separately active.

fear mingled with anticipation in my mind

commingle implies a closer or more thorough mingling.

a sense of duty commingled with a fierce pride drove her

blend implies that the elements as such disappear in the resulting mixture.

blended several teas to create a balanced flavor

merge suggests a combining in which one or more elements are lost in the whole.

in his mind reality and fantasy merged

coalesce implies an affinity in the merging elements and usually a resulting organic unity.

telling details that coalesce into a striking portrait

amalgamate implies the forming of a close union without complete loss of individual identities.

refugees who were readily amalgamated into the community

fuse stresses oneness and indissolubility of the resulting product.

a building in which modernism and classicism are fused

Examples of fuse in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
More important, Govindarajan says, companies like Honeywell and Deere & Co. know how to fuse analog machinery and advanced digital technologies to create their own solutions. Diane Brady, Fortune, 12 Mar. 2024 The book—which is narrated by Jim, a young father enslaved by one of Huck’s guardians—seemed to fuse Everett’s interests: Jim travels the Mississippi but has an imaginary argument with Voltaire. Maya Binyam, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024 In the more immediate future, Gohar and her partner, chef and restaurateur Ignacio Mattos, hope to fuse their hospitality know-how into an experience set on this planet. Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Mar. 2024 Strands, the new word-search game still in beta, seems to fuse some of the best features of Wordle, Connections, and the crosswords. Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2024 The path forward fuses empathy and AI as interdependent drivers of progress. Gillian Oakenfull, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 During spontaneous parthenogenesis, eggs fuse with polar bodies to create a new offspring without the genetic contribution of another parent. Evan Bush, NBC News, 29 Feb. 2024 You are supposed to clone and fuse yourself in order to conceal your Black or indigenous side. Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 22 Feb. 2024 Many of them are fusing their activist principles with shrewd business strategy. Ellie Austin, Fortune, 9 Mar. 2024
Noun
In the 15th century, the befuddled derangement of the English King Henry VI — possibly a hereditary schizophrenia — helped to light the fuse of the Wars of the Roses. Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2024 In fact, Huffman’s call lit the fuse on a rebellion that would rage across Reddit for weeks. Paresh Dave, WIRED, 14 Mar. 2024 To stimulate flagging consumer confidence, Elon Musk lit a fuse at the start of last year that would spark a broader price war conflagration across the Chinese EV industry—one that has now been raging for months. Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 20 Feb. 2024 Every bit of hustle, each defensive lockdown lights a rafter-rattling fuse. Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Feb. 2024 The Defense Department said Friday that Secretary of State Antony Blinken had notified Congress about its second emergency determination to cover over $147.5 million in equipment sales, including new fuses and chargers for the 155 mm shells already purchased by the Israeli military. Samantha-Jo Roth, Washington Examiner, 2 Jan. 2024 Mark Consuelos lit the Live audience's fuse during a hilariously shady round of the fan-favorite Stump Mark trivia game with a firefighter, after the in-studio crowd turned on the actor and booed him on the air. Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 6 Mar. 2024 But everybody knew these were the guys that lit the match and put it to the fuse that launched the rocket. Brian McCollum, Detroit Free Press, 3 Feb. 2024 That might have been the moment, Englefield says, when Manor lit the fuse — igniting his plot for revenge that had smoldered for years. Natalie Morales, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fuse.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

borrowed from Middle French fuser "to cause to melt," verb derivative from Medieval Latin fūsus, past participle of fundere "to cast (metal), melt down, make liquid," going back to Latin, "to pour, shed, cast (liquid metal)" — more at found entry 5

Note: Though "to melt, make liquid" is a primary sense of Medieval Latin fundere (and its Romance progeny, as French fondre), this meaning is only marginally attested in Classical Latin and may have originally been a technical sense used by metalworkers.

Noun (1)

derivative of fuse entry 1

Noun (2)

probably shortening of fusee in sense "fuse"

Note: The hypothesis that the word was borrowed from Italian fuso "spindle" appears to be without foundation. There is no evidence for the use of fuso in Italian in the sense "train of combustible material," the corresponding word being spoletta; note that spoletta in Tomaso Moretti's Trattato dell'Artiglieria (Venice, 1665) is rendered indiscriminately as both fuse and fusee in the English translation by Jonas Moore (A General Treatise of Artillery, London, 1683).

Verb (2)

derivative of fuse entry 2 or fuse entry 3

First Known Use

Verb (1)

1592, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (1)

1868, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1644, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

1802, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fuse was in 1592

Dictionary Entries Near fuse

Cite this Entry

“Fuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fuse. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

fuse

1 of 4 verb
fused; fusing
1
: to change into a liquid or plastic state by heat
2
: to become fluid with heat
3
: to unite by or as if by melting together

fuse

2 of 4 noun
: an electrical safety device having a metal wire or strip that melts and interrupts the circuit when the current becomes too strong

fuse

3 of 4 noun
ˈfyüz
1
: a cord or cable that is set afire to ignite an explosive charge by carrying fire to it
2
also fuze : a mechanical or electrical device for setting off the explosive charge of an artillery shell, bomb, or torpedo

fuse

4 of 4 verb
variants also fuze
fused also fuzed; fusing also fuzing
: to equip with a fuse
Etymology

Verb

from Latin fusus past participle of fundere "to pour melted metal into a mold" — related to found entry 3

Noun

from Italian fuso "a slender tapering rod used for twisting yarn, spindle," from Latin fusus "spindle"

Medical Definition

fuse

verb
fused; fusing

transitive verb

: to cause to undergo fusion
fuse a joint

intransitive verb

: to undergo fusion

More from Merriam-Webster on fuse

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