defuse

verb

de·​fuse (ˌ)dē-ˈfyüz 

defused; defusing; defuses

transitive verb

1

: to remove the fuse from (a mine, a bomb. etc.)

2

: to make less harmful, potent, or tense

defuse a crisis

Did you know?

defuse or diffuse?

Many people find it difficult to remember the difference between defuse and diffuse, and when faced with the need for one of these words simply grab whichever one first comes to mind. But it needn’t be this way: the meanings of these two are quite a bit different, and there is a simple way to differentiate between them. Defuse is formed by adding the prefix de- to the word fuse; you are removing the fuse (either literally or figuratively) when you defuse a situation, much as defanging something entails removing the fangs. Diffuse, when used as a verb, tends to carry meanings such as “spread” or “scatter.” Additionally, diffuse is the only one which may be found used as an adjective.

Examples of defuse in a Sentence

Skilled negotiators helped defuse the crisis.

Recent Examples on the Web

Emily wants to speak to Omar directly, thinking her presence — and the truth — will defuse the situation. —Sarene Leeds, Vulture, 20 Sep. 2024

Teams alternate between detonating and defusing a bomb. —Brian Mazique, Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024

Israel’s killing of Hezbollah’s longtime leader has driven home how Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has set the agenda in the Middle East in recent months, with a frustrated Biden White House unable to shape events or defuse a spreading conflict in the region. —Dan De Luce, NBC News, 29 Sep. 2024

The central bank of the People’s Republic of China is responsible for formulating and implementing monetary policies, preventing and defusing financial risks and maintaining financial stability. —Matthew J. Belvedere,kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 24 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1943, in the meaning defined at sense 1