dispersal

noun

dis·​pers·​al di-ˈspər-səl 

: the act or result of dispersing

especially : the process or result of the spreading of organisms from one place to another

Synonyms

• disbandment
• dispersion
• dissipation
• scattering

Examples of dispersal in a Sentence

the dispersal of plant seeds in the forests through natural means

Recent Examples on the Web

Even if the idea of $5,000 stimulus checks evolves, Congress would need to approve a dispersal of funds to taxpayers. —Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2025

High-altitude dispersal of ash and sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere led to optical phenomena around the globe. —Scott Travers, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024

This long-standing separation suggests that island arcs and shifting land masses may have once provided a pathway for dispersal, only to later become isolated through geological changes. —Scott Travers, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025

The dispersals are stirring bitter memories of the 1948 war over Israel’s creation, when some 750,000 Palestinians were expelled from or fled their homes in what’s now Israel. —Julia Frankel, TIME, 28 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1821, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for dispersal

• demersal
• rehearsal
• reversal
• transversal
• traversal
• bursal
• versal
• universal

Kids Definition

dispersal

noun

dis·​pers·​al dis-ˈpər-səl 

: the act or result of dispersing

Medical Definition

dispersal

noun

dis·​pers·​al dis-ˈpər-səl 

: the act or result of dispersing

specifically : the process or result of the spreading of organisms from one place to another