DIFFUSE
| Pronunciation (US): |  |
Dictionary entry overview: What does diffuse mean?
• DIFFUSE (adjective)
The adjective DIFFUSE has 3 senses:
1. spread out; not concentrated in one place
2. (of light) transmitted from a broad light source or reflected
3. lacking conciseness
Familiarity information: DIFFUSE used as an adjective is uncommon.
• DIFFUSE (verb)
The verb DIFFUSE has 3 senses:
1. move outward
2. spread or diffuse through
3. cause to become widely known
Familiarity information: DIFFUSE used as a verb is uncommon.
Dictionary entry details
• DIFFUSE (adjective)
Meaning:
Spread out; not concentrated in one place
Context example:
a large diffuse organization
Similar:
distributed (spread out or scattered about or divided up)
Meaning:
(of light) transmitted from a broad light source or reflected
Synonyms:
diffuse; diffused; soft
Meaning:
Lacking conciseness
Context example:
a diffuse historical novel
Similar:
prolix (tediously prolonged or tending to speak or write at great length)
• DIFFUSE (verb)
Meaning:
Move outward
Classified under:
Verbs of walking, flying, swimming
Synonyms:
diffuse; fan out; spread out; spread
Context example:
The soldiers fanned out
Hypernyms (to "diffuse" is one way to...):
distribute; spread (distribute or disperse widely)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "diffuse"):
percolate (spread gradually)
creep; grow over (grow in such a way as to cover (a building))
bleed; run (be diffused)
mantle (spread over a surface, like a mantle)
Sentence frames:
Something ----s
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Meaning:
Spread or diffuse through
Classified under:
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging
Synonyms:
pervade; imbue; permeate; interpenetrate; diffuse; riddle; penetrate
Context examples:
An atmosphere of distrust has permeated this administration / music penetrated the entire building / His campaign was riddled with accusations and personal attacks
Hypernyms (to "diffuse" is one way to...):
penetrate; perforate (pass into or through, often by overcoming resistance)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "diffuse"):
spiritise; spiritize (imbue with a spirit)
Sentence frame:
Something ----s something
Meaning:
Cause to become widely known
Classified under:
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing
Synonyms:
disseminate; circulate; pass around; broadcast; circularise; diffuse; circularize; disperse; spread; propagate; distribute
Context examples:
spread information / circulate a rumor / broadcast the news
Hypernyms (to "diffuse" is one way to...):
air; bare; publicise; publicize (make public)
Cause:
circulate; go around; spread (become widely known and passed on)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "diffuse"):
sough; sow (introduce into an environment)
generalise; generalize; popularise; popularize; vulgarise; vulgarize (cater to popular taste to make popular and present to the general public; bring into general or common use)
carry; run (include as the content; broadcast or publicize)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
