Definitions

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.

“Mean” comments can sometimes just be ill-judged humor intended to defuse the atmosphere and, yes, sometimes they can be mean.

From MarketWatch

An attempt by aviation industry body Iata to defuse the situation - by stressing that its member airlines were keen to restore operations - failed to appease the Venezuelan government.

From BBC

The goal is to learn how to defuse a situation and respond sensitively.

From The Wall Street Journal

Then on Friday, dozens of Indigenous protesters blocked the entrance for roughly two hours to spotlight their struggles in the Amazon, prompting high-level interventions to defuse the situation.

From Barron's

Time to learn how to defuse a pepper ball.

From Los Angeles Times