Defuse vs. Diffuse | Ask Linda! | English Grammar

In this video Linda breaks down the difference between “defuse” and “diffuse”.

These two words are often confused. Let’s break their difference down.

The word “defuse” is a verb and means to make a situation less tense or harmful, such as here:

The teacher’s quiet voice helped to defuse the situation.

“Diffuse” is also a verb but means to spread over a wide area. An example sentence would be:

The toxic pollutants diffuse into the soil.

So remember, “defuse” means to make a situation less tense and “diffuse” means to spread over a wide area.

That’s it for today. See you next time!