diffuse 1 of 2

Definition of diffusenext

diffuse

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective diffuse differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of diffuse are prolix, verbose, and wordy. While all these words mean "using more words than necessary to express thought," diffuse stresses lack of compactness and pointedness of style.

diffuse memoirs that are so many shaggy-dog stories

When would prolix be a good substitute for diffuse?

The meanings of prolix and diffuse largely overlap; however, prolix suggests unreasonable and tedious dwelling on details.

habitually transformed brief anecdotes into prolix sagas

When is verbose a more appropriate choice than diffuse?

While the synonyms verbose and diffuse are close in meaning, verbose suggests a resulting dullness, obscurity, or lack of incisiveness or precision.

the verbose position papers

Where would wordy be a reasonable alternative to diffuse?

Although the words wordy and diffuse have much in common, wordy may also imply loquaciousness or garrulity.

a wordy speech

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 diffuse
Adjective
Whereas the costs of deficits are diffuse, the costs of policies that close the deficit are acutely clear only to those affected. Martha Gimbel, The Atlantic, 12 June 2026 Lowbrow sources such as Sunday funnies, B movies, and advertisements are present but are more diffuse, rarely coalescing into obvious quotation. Jeremy Lybarger, Artforum, 2 June 2026
Verb
First, diffuse the situation with some kindness. Wendy Rose Gould, Martha Stewart, 22 June 2026 Peroxide doesn’t have time to diffuse into the middle before it’s done. Emma Gometz, Scientific American, 19 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for diffuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for diffuse
Adjective
  • Honeysuckle The warm, heady, floral scent of honeysuckle, which is strongest at dusk, is instantly recognizable, and the romantically rambling vines and tubular blooms make the climbing varieties cottage-garden classics.
    Gemma Johnstone, The Spruce, 22 June 2026
  • Vocals have an offhand nonchalance instead of hogging the spotlight, melodies sneak up on you rather than announce themselves, and the guitars avoid crunchy riffs and overdriven twang in favor of tart rambling and clean supporting chords.
    Reed Jackson, SPIN, 19 June 2026
Verb
  • On the solstice, the first goal was to clear trash that had found its way onto the orchard, then form makeshift berms out of rocks dispersed around the space.
    Pedro Moura, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
  • The San Jose Police Department has declared an unlawful assembly and in the name of the People of the State of California, order all those assembled at Santa Clara St and Almaden Ave to immediately disperse, which means to break up this assembly.
    Tim Fang, CBS News, 1 July 2026
Adjective
  • But outside experts and Ukrainian soldiers who spoke to CNN say Russia’s claims of advancement are exaggerated and come as the Kremlin is likely trying to project a narrative of success to counter the impact of recent Ukrainian strikes inside Russia.
    Daria Tarasova-Markina, CNN Money, 24 June 2026
  • According to Nahmias, the low-top shoe’s design is meant to capture the mountainous ranges that meet the water throughout California and features an upper inspired by a popular skate shoe paired with an exaggerated sole made of lightweight materials.
    Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 24 June 2026
Verb
  • Better-than-expected job gains helped to dispel fears of a recession.
    Max Zahn, ABC News, 30 June 2026
  • And, in truth, the first Round of 32 match didn’t do much to dispel that theory yesterday.
    Ben Church, CNN Money, 29 June 2026
Adjective
  • The great speculators became talkative and communicative or dull, sullen, silent, and peevish.
    Owen Lamont, Fortune, 2 July 2026
  • Doing this kind of work with other talkative animals, such as dolphins, would be much more difficult.
    Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 26 June 2026
Verb
  • Eventually the crowd dissipated, some to head to Arrowhead for the game itself, others to Fan Festival and still others to watch parties across the metro.
    Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 25 June 2026
  • The song’s spacious production lets its piercing saxophone riffs dissipate into silence, only for borderline obnoxious horns to swirl them back into rhythm.
    Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 25 June 2026
Adjective
  • Experts warn Warsh's less communicative approach risks increasing market volatility and borrowing costs, potentially forfeiting accountability gains.
    Peter Cohan, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
  • Even though the pilot doesn’t have all the information passengers might want to hear in that moment, Kennedy said, many would feel relief that the person in charge is transparent, communicative, and cognizant of their feelings and concerns.
    Sarah Jackson, CNBC, 21 June 2026
Verb
  • Scientists have long grouped sharks together as a natural evolutionary unit, meaning every shark species shares a common ancestor that rays and skates do not.
    Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 23 May 2026
  • The PlayStation 5 Pro is a more powerful spin on the vanilla PS5, thanks to ray tracing and AI upscaling that give games a visual boost.
    Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 27 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Diffuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/diffuse. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

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