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 …

defuse verb [T] (DIFFICULT SITUATION) to make a difficult or dangerous situation calmer by reducing or removing its cause:

DEFUSE definition: to remove the fuze from (a bomb, mine, etc.). See examples of defuse used in a sentence.

If you defuse a dangerous or tense situation, you calm it.

defuse something to stop a possibly dangerous or difficult situation from developing, especially by making people less angry or nervous. Community workers are trying to defuse tension in the …

defuse to remove the fuse from; to make less dangerous or tense: His apology defused a potentially ugly situation.

Vocabulary.com works through synonyms, antonyms, and sentence usage. It makes students learn the word for life, not just regurgitate it for a test and then purge it from their memory. Do …

Dec 31, 2025 · In summary, "defuse" is a versatile, precise word that means to make safe or less dangerous. Use it wisely, especially when talking about bombs, conflicts, or heated situations.

In summary: Diffuse is both a verb and an adjective, and refers to the spreading of something, or making it less concentrated. Defuse functions only as a verb and means "to remove the fuse …

DEFUSE meaning: 1 : to make (something) less serious, difficult, or tense; 2 : to remove the part of (an explosive) that makes it explode to remove the fuse from (an explosive)