defuse
or de·fuze
[ dee-fyooz ]
/ diˈfyuz /
verb (used with object), de·fused, de·fus·ing.
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), de·fused, de·fus·ing.
to grow less dangerous; weaken.
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seclusion
OTHER WORDS FROM defuse
de·fus·er, nounWORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH defuse
defuse , diffuseDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for defuse
I wanted a show that would glide through my neural pathways, defusing the daily mind bombs CNN’s “Situation Room” often set off.
To detox from the news, I binge-watched ‘Dallas.’ It was more than just fun.|Sibbie O'Sullivan|January 20, 2021|Washington PostOne woman received $40,000 after saying an officer pulled her hair and punched her as she tried to defuse an argument between two others.
These are the police misconduct lawsuits the public hears little about|Paul Schwartzman|December 25, 2020|Washington PostMy mom had to run over and try to defuse the situation as the woman screamed.
British Dictionary definitions for defuse
defuse
sometimes US defuze
/ (diːˈfjuːz) /
verb (tr)
to remove the triggering device of (a bomb, etc)
to remove the cause of tension from (a crisis, etc)
undefined defuse
Avoid confusion with diffuse
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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