disperse
What does "disperse" mean?
To disperse means to scatter or spread out in many different directions. Imagine a crowd of people at a concert suddenly leaving when the music stops, moving away from each other until they are no longer a group; that is the essence of dispersion. This word is often used in contexts involving crowds, gases, or information. It implies a sense of order or density being broken down. While "scatter" is more common in daily speech, "disperse" sounds more precise and is frequently used in news reports, scientific writing, or descriptions of official crowd control.
"disperse" in conversation
Protest dispersal
We are giving you five minutes to disperse peacefully.
We are giving you five minutes to disperse peacefully.
We aren't going anywhere until we get answers.
We aren't going anywhere until we get answers.
Used here in a formal, authoritative context regarding a crowd.
Science experiment
Watch how the ink begins to disperse in the water.
Watch how the ink begins to disperse in the water.
It's making these really cool patterns!
It's making these really cool patterns.
Used to describe the physical movement of particles.
"disperse" in a sentence
The police ordered the crowd to disperse.
The police ordered the crowd to disperse.
The fog began to disperse as the sun rose higher in the sky.
The fog began to disperse as the sun rose higher in the sky.
Seeds are often dispersed by the wind or through the digestive tracts of animals.
Seeds are often dispersed by the wind or through the digestive tracts of animals.
