verb

disperse

/dɪˈspɜːrs/ · say it: dis·PURS

to scatter in different directions

In Actions & Behavior

In more detail

1. (verb) to spread out or move in different directions; to scatter

2. (verb) to distribute or spread something over an area

3. (verb) (of a crowd or group) to break up and leave in different directions

Examples

1. The crowd dispersed after the concert ended.
2. The seeds are dispersed by the wind.
3. Police dispersed the protesters who were blocking the street.

How to use disperse

Disperse is used when people, things, or particles move apart and separate in different directions, whether voluntarily or forcibly. It often implies an organized scattering or breaking up of a group, crowd, or mass of material. Unlike scatter, which can be random or haphazard, disperse often suggests a more deliberate or complete separation across space.

Common phrases

disperse into the crowd
disperse a crowd
disperse widely
disperse throughout
police disperse protesters
crowd dispersed

Synonyms

scatter · spread · distribute · dissipate · break up

Opposites

gather · assemble · concentrate

Word family

dispersal (noun) · dispersed (adjective) · dispersing (present participle)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse disperse (to spread out/scatter) with dispel (to drive away or eliminate a feeling/idea), though they are distinct verbs with different objects and meanings.

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