disperse

[ dih-spurs ]

verb (used with object)

, dis·persed, dis·pers·ing.

1. to drive or send off in various directions; scatter:

   to disperse a crowd.

   Antonyms: collect, combine

2. to spread widely; disseminate:

   to disperse knowledge.

   Synonyms: broadcast, sow

3. to dispel; cause to vanish:

   The wind dispersed the fog.

4. Physical Chemistry. to cause (particles) to separate uniformly throughout a solid, liquid, or gas.
5. Optics. to subject (light) to dispersion.

verb (used without object)

, dis·persed, dis·pers·ing.

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

   The crowd dispersed.

2. to be dispelled; be scattered out of sight; vanish:

   The smoke dispersed into the sky.

   Synonyms: evanesce, disappear

adjective

1. Physical Chemistry. noting the dispersed particles in a dispersion.

disperse

/ dɪˈspɜːsɪdlɪ; dɪˈspɜːs /

verb

1. to scatter; distribute over a wide area
2. to dissipate or cause to dissipate
3. to leave or cause to leave a gathering, often in a random manner
4. to separate or be separated by dispersion
5. tr to diffuse or spread (news, information, etc)
6. to separate (particles) throughout a solid, liquid, or gas, as in the formation of a suspension or colloid

adjective

1. of or consisting of the particles in a colloid or suspension

   disperse phase

Usage

See disburse

Derived Forms

• disˈperser, noun
• dispersedly, adverb

Other Words From

• dis·persed·ly [dih-, spur, -sid-lee], adverb
• dis·perser noun
• dis·persi·bili·ty noun
• dis·persi·ble adjective
• predis·perse verb (used with object) predispersed predispersing
• redis·perse verb redispersed redispersing
• undis·persed adjective
• undis·persing adjective
• well-dis·persed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of disperse¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of disperse¹

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

Synonym Study

See scatter.

Example Sentences

The state quadrupled eligibility for the vaccine last month and began dispersing its limited number of doses among a broader base of providers.

From 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.

From Washington Post

The state dispersed $266 million to districts to help pay for some expenses and issued public health guidance to help schools plan.

From Washington Post

Then maybe you can disperse the photographs to different family members.

From 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.

From Science News

At about 11 p.m. State Police started flying a helicopter over the scene, ordering the crowds to disperse.

From The Daily Beast

Two officers, their badge numbers covered by black tape, watch as guests disperse from a house party they have recently disrupted.

From The 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.

From The Daily Beast

When a big cache of weapons is inbound, rival outfits often gang together to disperse the load among their safe houses.

From The Daily Beast

“Instead of car tires, concrete blocks are placed there now, and nobody intends to disperse,” the minister said.

From The Daily Beast

When the last scarlo is burned out a funeral march is played and all disperse to their homes.

From Project Gutenberg

So the clouded day broke sullenly, with gusts of warm rain and red gleams of a sun striving to disperse the mists.

From Project Gutenberg

During the night they disperse, and take up their abode on surrounding farms as peaceful tillers of the soil.

From Project Gutenberg

Plants are the accumulators of the power which animals distribute and disperse.

From Project Gutenberg

When others gather, do thou disperse; when others disperse, gather.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• break up
• circulate
• diffuse
• disappear
• disband
• discharge
• dislodge
• dispel
• dissipate
• dissolve
• scatter
• separate
• spray
• spread
• vanish