Word
diffuse
Phoneticsdif·fuse, stress on the second syllable
/dɪfˈjus/
Definitions
01to spread through a space
C1 · Advanced Science Technical
v. to spread out slowly through a liquid, the air, or a large area.
v. to spread or scatter widely; in physics, the movement of particles from an area of high concentration to low concentration.
“The smell of fresh coffee began to diffuse through the entire house.”
“The dye will diffuse through the water until the liquid reaches a uniform shade of blue.”
Antonyms
02wordy
C2 · Proficiency Formal · Academic
adj. using too many words to explain something.
adj. using more words than necessary; lacking conciseness in speech or writing.
“His writing style is quite diffuse, making it hard to find his main point.”
“The professor's diffuse lecture style often led the class far away from the original topic of discussion.”
Synonyms
Usage
Can be used both transitively (to diffuse something) and intransitively (something diffuses).
Pitfall
The light was very diffuse.
The light was very diffused.
While 'diffuse' is an adjective, learners often use the base verb form where the past participle 'diffused' or the distinct adjective 'diffuse' (pronounced differently) is required to describe a state.
Real-World Examples
“The effects of idling reduction laws are hard to estimate, in part because the pollution from idling is diffuse and intermittent.” “Created when light is absorbed, excitons diffuse through the semiconducting material before they can dissociate into free charge carriers to generate electricity.” Etymology
From Middle French diffuser, from Latin diffūsus, past participle of diffundere, from dis- + fundere.
From Middle English *diffuse (attested in adverb diffuseli), from Latin diffūsus.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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