diffuse 1 of 2

adjective

di-ˈfyüs How to pronounce diffuse (audio)
Definition of diffusenext
as in rambling
using or containing more words than necessary to express an idea a diffuse speech that took a great deal of time to make a very small point

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

diffuse

2 of 2

verb

as in to disperse

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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
Brown’s cause of death was ruled diffuse thermal injury and smoke inhalation. — Francie Ebert, NBC news, 25 June 2026 Brown's cause of death was ruled as diffuse thermal injury and smoke inhalation. — Deirdre Durkan, PEOPLE, 25 June 2026
Verb
For nearly 180 years, the Smithsonian has worked alongside partners across government—from the White House to Congress to our governing Board of Regents—guided by our enduring mission to increase and diffuse knowledge. — Harrison Jacobs, ARTnews.com, 9 July 2026 For nearly 180 years, the Smithsonian has worked alongside partners across government — from the White House to Congress to our governing Board of Regents — guided by our enduring mission to increase and diffuse knowledge. — Anastasia Tsioulcas, NPR, 9 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for diffuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for diffuse
  1. rambling
  2. disperse
  3. exaggerated
  4. dispel
  5. talkative
  6. dissipate
  7. communicative
  8. ray
Adjective
  • And then there’s the Kiyosaki residence, a rambling Moroccan fantasia with muddy adobe walls and a pink door.
    — Christopher Cox, Vanity Fair, 26 Aug. 2026
  • In the podcast, conversations with guests are interspersed with rambling reflections from Von, who is open about his past issues with substance abuse.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of rambling
Verb
  • At one point, police appeared to use pepper spray to disperse an area of the crowd, but a festive vibe quickly resumed.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 26 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
Definition of disperse
Adjective
  • The brothers’ defense lawyers countered that the UK allegations are years old, have not resulted in convictions, and their claims to be wealthy were exaggerated to promote online businesses and to generate attention.
    — Jonny Hallam, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The only-in-New York Scaffold Law adds millions of dollars to every construction project through inflated settlements and insurance costs, much of which is alleged to be driven by fraud and exaggerated claims.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of exaggerated
Verb
  • Joy-Anna has previously been candid about wanting to dispel rumors about her and Forsyth welcoming a fourth baby.
    — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Any fears the new arrival on loan from Japanese team Urawa Red Diamonds may have lacked maturity, though, were quickly dispelled.
    — Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of dispel
Adjective
  • Than Constantly Direct Parents may naturally focus on how energetic, friendly, or talkative a teacher appears.
    — Jose Bolaños, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Corey Graves was much more talkative this time around, lambasting Big Cass as a coward while supporting Evans.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of talkative
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
Adjective
  • Now, from membership in the Nazi Party to the facts behind family lineage or legends, communicative memory no longer has the final word.
    — Fern Schumer Chapman, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Steering is accurate without being particularly communicative, but that's perfectly appropriate for this car.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 20 July 2026
Definition of communicative
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
Definition of ray

Browse Nearby Words

diffidently
diffuse
diffused
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Cite this Entry

“Diffuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/diffuse. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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