DISPERSE Synonyms: 48 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'disperse' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of disperse are dispel , dissipate , and scatter . While all these words mean "to cause to separate or break up," disperse implies a wider separation and a complete breaking up of a mass or group. // police dispersed the crowd

Q: When can 'dispel' be used instead of 'disperse'?

Although the words dispel and disperse have much in common, dispel stresses a driving away or getting rid of as if by scattering. // an authoritative statement that dispelled all doubt

Q: When could 'dissipate' be used to replace 'disperse'?

The meanings of dissipate and disperse largely overlap; however, dissipate stresses complete disintegration or dissolution and final disappearance. // the fog was dissipated by the morning sun

Q: When would 'scatter' be a good substitute for 'disperse'?

The words scatter and disperse can be used in similar contexts, but scatter implies a force that drives parts or units irregularly in many directions. // the bowling ball scattered the pins

disperse

verb

di-ˈspərs

Definition of disperse

as in to dissipate

to go off in different directions and cease to exist as a body or unified whole the crowd dispersed once the show ended

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to scatter

to cause (members of a group) to move widely apart the family of the missing woman dispersed searchers to all corners of the national park

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to disband

to cease to exist or cause to cease to exist as a group or organization the campaign staff dispersed almost immediately after the election

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb disperse differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of disperse are dispel, dissipate, and scatter. While all these words mean "to cause to separate or break up," disperse implies a wider separation and a complete breaking up of a mass or group.

police dispersed the crowd

When can dispel be used instead of disperse?

Although the words dispel and disperse have much in common, dispel stresses a driving away or getting rid of as if by scattering.

an authoritative statement that dispelled all doubt

When could dissipate be used to replace disperse?

The meanings of dissipate and disperse largely overlap; however, dissipate stresses complete disintegration or dissolution and final disappearance.

the fog was dissipated by the morning sun

When would scatter be a good substitute for disperse?

The words scatter and disperse can be used in similar contexts, but scatter implies a force that drives parts or units irregularly in many directions.

the bowling ball scattered the pins

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of disperse The $10 million will be dispersed across 10 different groups whose missions range from reproductive health advocacy and resources for mothers to support for survivors of gender violence and abuse. — Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2026 On Wednesday evening, multiple people were arrested when Baltimore County police worked to disperse a large crowd in Towson. — Bryan Lynn, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2026 The Retired Police Canine Foundation was selected as the recipient of these funds and is in charge of dispersing them to handlers across the state. — Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026 The Haitian government and aid organizations like the International Office for Migration are working to ease the burden on locals and help new arrivals disperse across the country. — Etant Dupain, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for disperse

Recent Examples of Synonyms for disperse

Verb

Breman noted that price shocks stemming from the Middle East conflict have not fully dissipated.

— , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
The report from the weather service states the data shows the tornado dissipated around Oak Glen Nature Preserve.

— Gillian Stawiszynski, Cincinnati Enquirer, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of dissipate

Verb

There are water stations scattered throughout the grounds too.

— Aaron Short, Curbed, 3 Sep. 2026
When several doctoral students combed through the sequencing results, there was only one way to explain why so many extra gene copies were scattered across the whole of the potamo genome.

— Carrie Arnold Contributing, Quanta Magazine, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of scatter

Verb

The committee would eventually disband without an answer, despite the fact that Selig had helped engineer the sale of the team in 2005 to Lew Wolff, an old University of Wisconsin frat buddy, and John Fisher.

— Barry M. Bloom, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
But August eventually passed, and by September our collective had disbanded for college.

— Taran Dugal, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of disband

Verb

Several parents previously told the Democrat-Gazette and other local media that the couple then disappeared and stopped responding to emails or phone calls.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Sep. 2026
The layered structure disappeared completely after 50 minutes.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of disappear

Verb

The highest-ticket item is a funnel-neck jacket in rich chocolate sheep leather that dissolves into black toward the waist (399€), which can be paired with a matching pencil skirt.

— Tina Isaac-Goizé, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2026
The alternative approach is hydrometallurgy, which dissolves the metals in acid.

— Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of dissolve

Verb

As his memories begin to fade, he's left in a panic, not wanting to lose everything.

— Grace Dean, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026
It was designed to give Hawthorne’s fading downtown a boost with three major department stores — JCPenney in addition to the Broadway and Montgomery Ward — as well as numerous shops and a movie theater.

— Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of fade

Browse Nearby Words

dispersals

disperse

dispersed

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“Disperse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disperse. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of disperse

verb

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