defuse

[dee-fyooz] / diˈfyuz /

VERB

disarm; smooth over

Synonyms

STRONGEST

alleviate deactivate lessen soothe

STRONG

demilitarize diminish disable moderate mollify pacify pad restrain soften subdue weaken

Antonyms

STRONGEST

increase

STRONG

agitate aid assist enable free help incite irritate liberate release strengthen trouble upset worry

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

If these megacap IPOs don’t come to market, it would defuse Grantham’s bearish prediction — and might even be bullish.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 17, 2026

One evening in early February, a handful of progressive activists boarded buses outside Jerusalem's Teddy Stadium to document instances of violence and defuse the situation if necessary.

From Barron's • Feb. 12, 2026

Carney on Tuesday contradicted some of Trump’s accusations, and said he spoke with Trump to try to defuse the tension.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 10, 2026

The talks, initially planned to be held in Istanbul, are an effort led by Egypt, Turkey and Qatar to defuse tensions.

From BBC • Feb. 5, 2026

I’m happy to let her make the necessary introductions and defuse the situation.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam