How Do You Spell DEFUSE?

Pronunciation: [dɪfjˈuːz] (IPA)

The word "defuse" is commonly misspelled as "diffuse", as both words sound alike when spoken. However, the correct spelling of "defuse" is d-ɪ-f-juːz. The IPA phonetic transcription helps to break down the word's pronunciation, revealing that it is made up of the prefix "de-" (meaning to remove or undo), and the verb "fuse" (meaning to join or melt together). Therefore, "defuse" means to remove or loosen a fuse, as in defusing a bomb or diffusing a tense situation.

DEFUSE Meaning and Definition

  1. Defuse is a verb that refers to the act of reducing or diffusing the intensity, tension, or danger of a situation. It involves calming down or pacifying a volatile or potentially explosive circumstance in order to prevent escalation or harm.

    In the literal sense, defuse is frequently used to describe the process of deactivating a bomb or explosive device. This involves carefully neutralizing or dismantling the components of the explosive to render it harmless. Metaphorically, defuse is used to describe similar actions taken to dispel tension or resolve conflicts in various contexts, such as interpersonal relationships, business negotiations, or political discussions.

    When applied to interpersonal situations, defusing typically involves employing effective communication skills, active listening, and empathy to alleviate anger or hostility between individuals. It often entails staying calm, finding common ground, and promoting understanding and compromise to achieve resolution. By defusing a potentially confrontational situation, individuals aim to ease tensions, foster cooperation, and restore harmony.

    In summary, defuse is a versatile term that describes the process of reducing threat or hostility. Whether in the physical realm, where it involves deactivating explosive devices, or in interpersonal interactions, where it requires diffusing conflicts, the goal of defusing is to neutralize the danger or tension present and restore a sense of calm or equilibrium.

Top Common Misspellings for DEFUSE *

* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.

Other Common Misspellings for DEFUSE

Etymology of DEFUSE

The word "defuse" originated in the mid-20th century and is derived from the Latin term "diffusus", which means "spread out" or "dispersed". It combines the prefix "de-" (meaning "undoing" or "reversing") with the verb "fuse", which comes from the Latin "fusus", meaning "poured" or "melted". In this context, "fuse" refers to a metaphorical "burning fuse" in relation to explosives or tension. Thus, "defuse" linguistically means "to remove the fuse" or "to disperse the tension" in a situation.

Similar spelling words for DEFUSE

Conjugate verb Defuse

CONDITIONAL PERFECT

I would have defused
you would have defused
he/she/it would have defused
we would have defused
they would have defused
I would have defuse
you would have defuse
he/she/it would have defuse
we would have defuse
they would have defuse

CONDITIONAL PERFECT PROGRESSIVE

I would have been defusing
you would have been defusing
he/she/it would have been defusing
we would have been defusing
they would have been defusing

CONDITIONAL PRESENT

I would defuse
you would defuse
he/she/it would defuse
we would defuse
they would defuse

CONDITIONAL PRESENT PROGRESSIVE

I would be defusing
you would be defusing
he/she/it would be defusing
we would be defusing
they would be defusing

FUTURE

I will defuse
you will defuse
he/she/it will defuse
we will defuse
they will defuse

FUTURE CONTINUOUS

I will be defusing
you will be defusing
he/she/it will be defusing
we will be defusing
they will be defusing

FUTURE PERFECT

I will have defused
you will have defused
he/she/it will have defused
we will have defused
they will have defused

FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I will have been defusing
you will have been defusing
he/she/it will have been defusing
we will have been defusing
they will have been defusing

IMPERATIVE

you defuse
we let´s defuse

NONFINITE VERB FORMS

to defuse

PAST CONTINUOUS

I was defusing
you were defusing
he/she/it was defusing
we were defusing
they were defusing

PAST PARTICIPLE

defused

PAST PERFECT

I had defused
you had defused
he/she/it had defused
we had defused
they had defused

PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I had been defusing
you had been defusing
he/she/it had been defusing
we had been defusing
they had been defusing

PRESENT

I defuse
you defuse
he/she/it defuses
we defuse
they defuse

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

I am defusing
you are defusing
he/she/it is defusing
we are defusing
they are defusing

PRESENT PARTICIPLE

defusing

PRESENT PERFECT

I have defused
you have defused
he/she/it has defused
we have defused
they have defused

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I have been defusing
you have been defusing
he/she/it has been defusing
we have been defusing
they have been defusing

PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE

he/she/it defuse

SIMPLE PAST

I defused
you defused
he/she/it defused
we defused
they defused

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