Synonyms

defuse

American

[dee-fyooz] / diˈfjuz /

Or defuze

verb (used with object)

to remove the fuze from (a bomb, mine, etc.).
to make less dangerous, tense, or embarrassing.

to defuse a potentially ugly situation.

verb (used without object)

to grow less dangerous; weaken.

defuse British

/ diːˈfjuːz /

verb

to remove the triggering device of (a bomb, etc)
to remove the cause of tension from (a crisis, etc)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Commonly Confused

See diffuse

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

defuser

noun

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of defuse

First recorded in 1940–45; de- + fuse ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Leo’s aides are trying hard to mediate between Washington and Havana, urging both sides to defuse their tensions and the U.S. not to use force, as Trump has threatened.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026

Ritchson, according to the source, attempted to defuse the situation after Taylor allegedly dared him to get physical.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 23, 2026

Trump has since said he is seeking "immediate negotiations" to find a compromise and further defuse the row.

From BBC • Mar. 19, 2026

If older couples start arguing about money, their tax preparer can try to defuse tensions by looking ahead and conjuring a worst-case scenario.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 5, 2026

So I attempted to defuse the situation with a sober and sincere-sounding lie.

From "100 Sideways Miles" by Andrew Smith

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023