disperse

[ dih-spurs ]

/ dɪˈspɜrs /

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See synonyms for: disperse / dispersed / dispersing / dispersible on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), dis·persed, dis·pers·ing.

to drive or send off in various directions; scatter: to disperse a crowd.

to spread widely; disseminate: to disperse knowledge.

to dispel; cause to vanish: The wind dispersed the fog.

Physical Chemistry. to cause (particles) to separate uniformly throughout a solid, liquid, or gas.

Optics. to subject (light) to dispersion.

verb (used without object), dis·persed, dis·pers·ing.

to separate and move apart in different directions without order or regularity; become scattered: The crowd dispersed.

to be dispelled; be scattered out of sight; vanish: The smoke dispersed into the sky.

adjective

Physical Chemistry. noting the dispersed particles in a dispersion.

OTHER WORDS FOR disperse

2 sow, broadcast.

7 disappear, evanesce.

See synonyms for disperse on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR disperse

1 combine, collect.

See antonyms for disperse on Thesaurus.com

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Origin of disperse

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English dispersen, disparsen (from Middle French disperser,) from Latin dispersus (past participle of dispergere), equivalent to di-di-² + -sper(g)- “scatter” (stem of -spergere, combining form of spargere “to scatter, strew”) + -sus past participle suffix

synonym study for disperse

1. See scatter.

OTHER WORDS FROM disperse

dis·pers·ed·ly

[dih-spur-sid-lee], /dɪˈspɜr sɪd li/, adverbdis·pers·er, noundis·pers·i·bil·i·ty, noundis·pers·i·ble, adjective

pre·dis·perse, verb (used with object), pre·dis·persed, pre·dis·pers·ing.re·dis·perse, verb, re·dis·persed, re·dis·pers·ing.un·dis·persed, adjectiveun·dis·pers·ing, adjectivewell-dis·persed, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH disperse

disperse , disburse

Words nearby disperse

dispermy, dispersal, dispersal prison, dispersal zone, dispersant, disperse, disperse dye, dispersion, dispersion hardening, dispersion relation, dispersive

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use disperse in a sentence

The state quadrupled eligibility for the vaccine last month and began dispersing its limited number of doses among a broader base of providers.
Maryland Democrats call for ‘course correction’ amid regionwide frustration over vaccine rollout|Erin Cox, Rebecca Tan, Antonio Olivo|February 3, 2021|Washington Post
Outside the court, hundreds of Navalny’s supporters crowded the sidewalks, two days after riot police used batons and stun guns to violently disperse protests in dozens of cities, arresting a record 5,000 people, including dozens of journalists.
Russian opposition leader Navalny ordered jailed, calls on supporters to keep pressure on Putin|Isabelle Khurshudyan, Robyn Dixon|February 2, 2021|Washington Post
The state dispersed $266 million to districts to help pay for some expenses and issued public health guidance to help schools plan.
In Connecticut, Miguel Cardona led a full-court press for schools to reopen|Laura Meckler, Nick Anderson|February 2, 2021|Washington Post
Then maybe you can disperse the photographs to different family members.
A thrift shop photo album is full of mystery photos of a District family|John Kelly|January 27, 2021|Washington Post

Those chemicals caused the plastic molecules that were dispersed in the liquids to bunch together into solid clumps that could be fished out.
Chemists are reimagining recycling to keep plastics out of landfills|Maria Temming|January 27, 2021|Science News
At about 11 p.m. State Police started flying a helicopter over the scene, ordering the crowds to disperse.
Frat Culture Clashes With Riot Police at Keene, N.H., Pumpkin Festival|Melanie Plenda|October 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Two officers, their badge numbers covered by black tape, watch as guests disperse from a house party they have recently disrupted.
A Brief History of the Phrase 'F*ck the Police'|Rich Goldstein|August 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This is a problem, since no traffic police can identify any of the trucks if they start to disperse once they enter Ukraine.
Putin’s “Humanitarian” Convoy Nears Ukraine, APCs Cross in Secret|Anna Nemtsova|August 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
When a big cache of weapons is inbound, rival outfits often gang together to disperse the load among their safe houses.
On the Contraband Trail With Libya’s Gun Smugglers|Peter Schwartzstein|June 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“Instead of car tires, concrete blocks are placed there now, and nobody intends to disperse,” the minister said.
Reality Check in Ukraine|Jamie Dettmer|April 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
When the last scarlo is burned out a funeral march is played and all disperse to their homes.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills
So the clouded day broke sullenly, with gusts of warm rain and red gleams of a sun striving to disperse the mists.
The Red Year|Louis Tracy
During the night they disperse, and take up their abode on surrounding farms as peaceful tillers of the soil.
Campaign Pictures of the War in South Africa (1899-1900)|A. G. Hales
Plants are the accumulators of the power which animals distribute and disperse.
English: Composition and Literature|W. F. (William Franklin) Webster
When others gather, do thou disperse; when others disperse, gather.
Hebraic Literature; Translations from the Talmud, Midrashim and Kabbala|Various

British Dictionary definitions for disperse

disperse

/ (dɪˈspɜːs) /

verb

to scatter; distribute over a wide area

to dissipate or cause to dissipate

to leave or cause to leave a gathering, often in a random manner

to separate or be separated by dispersion

(tr) to diffuse or spread (news, information, etc)

to separate (particles) throughout a solid, liquid, or gas, as in the formation of a suspension or colloid

adjective

of or consisting of the particles in a colloid or suspensiondisperse phase

Derived forms of disperse

dispersedly (dɪˈspɜːsɪdlɪ), adverbdisperser, noun

Word Origin for disperse

C14: from Latin dispērsus scattered, from dispergere to scatter widely, from di- ² + spargere to strew

undefined disperse

See disburse

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

disperse

OTHER WORDS FOR disperse

OPPOSITES FOR disperse

Origin of disperse

synonym study for disperse

OTHER WORDS FROM disperse

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH disperse

Words nearby disperse

Words related to disperse

How to use disperse in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for disperse

Derived forms of disperse

Word Origin for disperse

undefined disperse