disperse
verb (used with object)
to drive or send off in various directions; scatter.
dispersed
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past participleof disperse.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
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past tense formof disperse.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
disperseverb (used with object)to drive or send off in various directions; scatter.
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.
Since 2021, New York has dispersed $70 million in down payment assistance.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 24, 2026
"The old underworld was visible and territorial, but the new one is dispersed, fluid, making it harder to pin down," Maria told The Print, external last year.
From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026
Objects in that show came from private collections in the New York area, most of which have since been dispersed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2026
The dispersed ash eventually settles out of the atmosphere, permitting the Sun’s rays to shine fully on the surface again – reviving agriculture and ecosystems.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 22, 2026
Naturally, strawberry plants didn’t set out with a conscious intent of attracting birds when, and only when, their seeds were ready to be dispersed.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
