defuse

American

[dee-fyooz] / diˈfyuz /

Or defuze

verb (used with object)

defused, defusing

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)

defused, defusing

to grow less dangerous; weaken.

defuse British

/ diːˈfjuːz /

verb

to remove the triggering device of (a bomb, etc)
to remove the cause of tension from (a crisis, etc)

"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

Commonly Confused

See diffuse

Other Word Forms

defuser noun

Etymology

Origin of defuse

First recorded in 1940–45; de- + fuse ¹

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.

Trump has since said he is seeking "immediate negotiations" to find a compromise and further defuse the row.

From BBC • Mar. 19, 2026

If these megacap IPOs don’t come to market, it would defuse Grantham’s bearish prediction — and might even be bullish.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 17, 2026

One evening in early February, a handful of progressive activists boarded buses outside Jerusalem's Teddy Stadium to document instances of violence and defuse the situation if necessary.

From Barron's • Feb. 12, 2026

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum tried to defuse a potentially explosive situation at her morning news conference on Tuesday.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 29, 2026

“You’re right. It was just one game. For now,” I said, trying to defuse the situation—though maybe I straightened my posture a bit to let him know I was not one to mess with.

From "Here to Stay" by Sara Farizan

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023