Meaning

(transitive) To drive away, disperse..

Definitions by Sense

1. (transitive) To drive away, disperse.
2. (transitive) To use up or waste; squander.
3. (intransitive) To vanish by dispersion.
4. (physics) To cause energy to be lost through its conversion to heat.
5. (intransitive, colloquial, dated) To be dissolute in conduct.
6. dissipated

Example Sentences

August 1773, James Cook, journal entry I soon dissipated his fears.

The extreme tendency of civilization is to dissipate all intellectual energy.

The vast wealth […] was in three years dissipated.

So much for the effort and ingenuity of Montmartre. All the catering to vice and waste was on an utterly childish scale, and he suddenly realized the meaning of the word "dissipate"—to dissipate into thin air; to make nothing out of something.

If he prefers the bar he can exchange views with a Major de Wildman of Lord knew whose army, who calls himself King Farouk's equerry and claims to have a private telephone link to Cairo so that he can report the winning numbers and take royal orders inspired by soothsayers on how to dissipate the wealth of Egypt.

The traction motors serve as generators when dynamic braking is used, the generated output being dissipated in fan-cooled resistance banks mounted in a removable roof section.

Regenerative braking is retained. Like rheostatic braking, this uses the traction motors to provide a braking effort, but the current developed is fed back into the overhead catenary rather than dissipated through resistance banks.

Word Forms

• dissipates
• dissipating
• dissipated
• more dissipate
• most dissipate

Synonyms for dissipate

Related Words

When Should You Use Dissipate?

Use dissipate when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

Practice This Word

Frequently Asked Questions