Defuse vs. Diffuse

Defuse and diffuse sound very similar, but their meanings are completely different. One is about reducing danger or tension, and the other is about spreading something out.

Defuse

Defuse means to make a dangerous or tense situation safer. Originally, it meant removing a fuse from a bomb — now it’s also used metaphorically.

• The police managed to defuse the bomb.
• She tried to defuse the argument before it got worse.
• A joke can sometimes defuse tension in a meeting.

Diffuse

Diffuse means to spread something out over a wide area. It can describe light, sound, smell, or ideas.

• The sunlight was diffused by the clouds.
• The scent of flowers slowly diffused through the room.
• The message was diffused across social media.