disperse

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 Local law enforcement charged many of the protesters with failure to disperse. Tim Clouser, The Washington Examiner, 16 July 2025 Over time, these vesicles could be dispersed through the lakes and seas, interacting and potentially leading to the creation of protocells. Robert Lea, Space.com, 15 July 2025 The rest of Russia’s Black Sea fleet soon retreated from Sevastopol and began dispersing from Novorossiysk, on the eastern shore. Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 14 July 2025 On the other side, the Israeli military was firing tear gas to disperse the crowd of Palestinians and refusing to allow the ambulances to pass for hours. Jeremy Diamond, CNN Money, 14 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for disperse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disperse
Verb
  • Heat dome could linger for two weeks The heat dome won't dissipate soon.
    John Bacon, USA Today, 24 July 2025
  • The heat will dissipate after Thursday, but it’s expected to return next week, with nearly two-thirds of the eastern U.S. facing warmer than normal temperatures.
    Kenton Gewecke, ABC News, 17 July 2025
Verb
  • At this, the thickest part of Earth’s atmosphere, shorter wavelengths of light, such as blue and violet, scatter away, while longer wavelengths — including red and orange — pass through more easily.
    Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
  • Photo of the wreckage captured by the South Florida Sun Sentinel shows several parts of the plane scattered on a patch of grass near a tree.
    Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 14 July 2025
Verb
  • By the time Geldof held a press conference to roll out the first lineup of Live Aid, the Who had been disbanded for several years.
    David Browne, Rolling Stone, 22 July 2025
  • Efforts that support diversity, equity and inclusion have been disbanded by federal and state governments.
    Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 18 July 2025
Verb
  • Winter's influence in deeper waters is also disappearing, with shifts in fall overturn and winter cooling that could impact the lake's ecosystem.
    Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 24 July 2025
  • Acute hives might pop up in one spot and disappear within a few hours, only to show up somewhere else.
    Chloe Castleberry, Flow Space, 23 July 2025
Verb
  • Once stitched over Kere's wound, the fish skin slowly dissolved into the wound bed, leaving behind collagen and nutrients to help the bird regrow her own skin in its place.
    Madeline Heim, jsonline.com, 26 July 2025
  • But the dream quickly dissolves as secrets begin to surface, especially involving Mike (Jamie Bacon).
    Zac Ntim, Deadline, 25 July 2025
Verb
  • The brand recommends avoiding dabbing or blotting after applying the spray, as this can cause the fragrance to break down and fade.
    Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 15 July 2025
  • The celestial trio will remain close to each other throughout the night, with Saturn and Neptune eventually fading from sight in the southern sky when the sun rises on July 16.
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 15 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Disperse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disperse. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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