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

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

Regional players have pushed for diplomacy to defuse tensions.

From Barron's • Feb. 2, 2026

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum tried to defuse a potentially explosive situation at her morning news conference on Tuesday.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 29, 2026

When Laurent spoke, his tone was soothing — trying to defuse the sudden hostility.

From "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer