dissipation

noun

ˌdi-sə-ˈpā-shən How to pronounce dissipation (audio)
Definition of dissipationnext
1
as in degradation
a sinking to a state of low moral standards and behavior the wasting of a once promising life in dissipation and drunkenness

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dispersion
an act or process in which something scatters or is scattered the dissipation of the clouds by the early morning winds

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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 dissipation That's increasingly difficult as chips become smaller and new solutions are needed to address signal integrity, power delivery, and heat dissipation. — Zev Fima, CNBC, 4 Aug. 2026 Positive qualities—promptness, diligence, cheerfulness—sped up your ascent through the ranks; negative ones—laziness, dissipation, late mornings—slowed it down. — Jake Lundberg, The Atlantic, 23 July 2026 Heat dissipation Shedding waste heat is a significant problem—and probably the biggest challenge in orbit. — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 15 July 2026 In addition to potentially offering low-cost, low-dissipation computing, thermodynamic computing might also offer insights into the way natural complex systems work. — Quanta Magazine, 15 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for dissipation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dissipation
  1. degradation
  2. dispersion
  3. corruption
  4. dispersal
  5. scattering
Noun
  • The degradation is shameful, and shamefully compelling to read about.
    — James Wood, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The work also revises some degradation mechanisms described in earlier scientific literature, which the researchers said had relied largely on assumptions rather than experimental evidence.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of degradation
Noun
  • Geographic dispersion might seem inefficient to a company that only considers its typical operating costs.
    — Todd J. Stein, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The initiative will bring together computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations with digital twins to rapidly model ammonia dispersion following a leak.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of dispersion
Noun
  • Talarico’s success so far can partly be chalked up to voters’ apprehensions toward Paxton, who faced questions in his past over corruption, including being impeached by his own party in the Texas legislature.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Blagojevich was impeached, removed from office by a unanimous 59-0 Illinois Senate vote and convicted of federal corruption offenses.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of corruption
Noun
  • The police response has drawn criticism following an incident last week in which a 15-year-old boy lost his hand and part of his lower arm after picking up a police dispersal grenade that detonated during a demonstration in Lens.
    — Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The team then used the ridges and scarps in regions less affected by the dispersal of debris to estimate the amount of contraction.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of dispersal
Noun
  • Researchers are working to reduce unwanted light scattering, which can affect measurement stability.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Americans and a scattering of Europeans in search of the fabled Dolce Vita of this coast, and the trend of Asian and Middle East guests who are fans of the brand.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of scattering

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dissipating
dissipation
dissipations
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Cite this Entry

“Dissipation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dissipation. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on dissipation

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dissipation

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