Meaning & use
diffuse
To spread out over a wide area, becoming less concentrated.
See it in a sentence
Gas molecules diffuse quickly through the air until they fill the entire room evenly.
News of the scandal diffused through the office within minutes.
A note on using this word
As a verb, diffuse rhymes with fuse, while the adjective, meaning spread out or not concentrated, rhymes with loose; it is easily confused with defuse.
Words with a similar meaning
dispersescatter
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
Another way to use it
2. adjective
Spread out over a wide area rather than concentrated in one place; not clear or focused.
The report's argument felt diffuse, touching on too many topics without a clear focus.
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