English Reference

Word

dissipated

Phoneticsdis·si·pat·ed

US/ˈdɪsəˌpeɪtɪd/

UK/dˈɪsɪpˌeɪtɪd/

Definition

adj. describing someone who spends too much time and money on physical pleasures like drinking or partying. It can also describe something that has scattered or disappeared.

adj. characterised by a pursuit of excessive pleasure and a lack of moral restraint; alternatively, refers to something that has been dispersed or scattered. Often used predicatively to describe a person's lifestyle or state of being.

Examples

“He lived a dissipated life in the city.”

“After years of dissipated living, the heir had very little of his original fortune left to spend.”

“The morning sun soon reached the valley floor, and the thick fog that had settled overnight gradually dissipated until the air was perfectly clear.”

Examples

simple

“He lived a dissipated life in the city.”

contextual

“After years of dissipated living, the heir had very little of his original fortune left to spend.”

complex

“The morning sun soon reached the valley floor, and the thick fog that had settled overnight gradually dissipated until the air was perfectly clear.”

Usage

Often follows a linking verb like 'become' or 'remain' when describing a person's character.

Real-World Examples

“His voice sounded worn-down, his energy dissipated – and the interest around his return soon faded.”
The Guardian · 17 Aug 2026
“Later, there were harsh growls of timpani and threatening rumbles of double bass, before the storm dissipated into sunset-mellow brass.”
The Guardian · 12 Aug 2026

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

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English Reference