dispersal
Americannoun
noun
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the act of dispersing or the condition of being dispersed
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the spread of animals, plants, or seeds to new areas
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of dispersal
Explanation
Dispersal is the act of spreading something around. This could be positive (like a dispersal of money) or negative (like a dispersal of a crowd because of a bomb). If you know that dispersing is when something spreads out or separates, then you have a headstart to understanding dispersal. Dispersal causes something to be diffused or disseminated, like the dispersal of seeds in a garden. A strong wind could cause the dispersal of someone’s homework. A tear gas bomb causes the dispersal of tear gas, which in turn will cause the dispersal of a crowd. Anytime something is spreading out or becoming widespread, there's a dispersal at play.
Vocabulary lists containing dispersal
Academic Vocabulary, Literary Terms, and Vocabulary from Readings, Unit 5
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Part 1 Vocabulary (Unit 4)
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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.
Human rights group Amnesty International has "strongly" condemned the arrests of "peaceful protesters" following what it called a "violent dispersal".
From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026
"We hope that the remainder of this public gathering will proceed peacefully and safely, and that the dispersal at the end of the gathering will pass just as peacefully as the arrival."
From Barron's • May 23, 2026
They also denied hearing any dispersal orders or warnings before they were injured.
From Los Angeles Times • May 5, 2026
In 2022, Home Office policy shifted to a "full dispersal" model, which meant asylum seekers could be sent to any council area.
From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026
Behind the glossaries of warning calls, alarms, mating messages, pronouncements of territory, calls for recruitment, and demands for dispersal, there is redundant, elegant sound that is unaccountable as part of the working day.
From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
