- 1[transitive, intransitive] diffuse (something) (formal) to spread something or become spread widely in all directions The problem is how to diffuse power without creating anarchy. Technologies diffuse rapidly.
Want to learn more?
Find out which words work together and produce more natural sounding English with the Oxford Collocations Dictionary app.
- 2[intransitive, transitive] diffuse (something) (technology) if a gas or liquid diffuses or is diffused in a substance, it becomes slowly mixed with that substance
- 3[transitive] diffuse something (formal) to make light shine less brightly by spreading it in many directions The moon was fuller than the night before, but the light was diffused by clouds.
diffuse
verbNAmE//dɪˈfyuz//
Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they diffuse he / she / it diffuses
past simple diffused
-ing form diffusing
NAmE//dɪˈfyuʒn//
noun [uncountable] the diffusion of Marxist ideas the rate of diffusion of a gasSee diffuse in the Oxford Advanced Learner's DictionaryCheck pronunciation: diffuse