dissipate
C1Formal
Definition
Meaning
to (cause something to) gradually disappear, lose intensity, or scatter.
To waste or squander resources (money, energy) foolishly.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The primary meaning involves gradual dispersal or disappearance. The secondary meaning of 'squandering' applies abstractly to resources, not physical objects.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Spelling is identical.
Connotations
Slightly more formal in both varieties. The 'squandering' sense is equally common.
Frequency
Equally frequent in formal and academic contexts in both UK and US English.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[intransitive] The fog dissipated.[transitive] The wind dissipated the smoke.[transitive, figurative] He dissipated his inheritance on luxury cars.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To dissipate one's energies/talents (to waste potential by spreading efforts too thinly)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Often used negatively regarding resources: 'The venture capital was quickly dissipated on unsustainable marketing.'
Academic
Common in physical sciences: 'The energy is dissipated as heat.' Also in social sciences: 'Community cohesion dissipated after the factory closed.'
Everyday
Most common for weather/moods: 'The morning mist will dissipate by 10 am.' 'My initial enthusiasm soon dissipated.'
Technical
In physics/engineering: refers to irreversible energy loss (e.g., dissipated power). In finance: refers to squandering assets.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The crowd's cheerful mood began to dissipate as the rain set in.
- He managed to dissipate the family's entire savings within a decade.
American English
- The morning haze should dissipate by noon.
- She didn't want to dissipate her energy on petty arguments.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The clouds dissipated and the sun came out.
- His anger slowly dissipated.
- The government's initial advantage has dissipated due to internal conflicts.
- Effective insulation prevents heat from dissipating too quickly.
- The chancellor warned against dissipating the nation's strategic reserves.
- Any political momentum for reform dissipated following the scandal.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a 'dissipated' person who has scattered their wealth and health – both meanings involve wasteful spreading/thinning out.
Conceptual Metaphor
RESOURCES ARE A SOLID MASS (squandering = breaking it apart); INTANGIBLES ARE CLOUDS/FOG (disappearing = scattering).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating as 'dissipirovat'' (распылять) for the 'squander' sense. Use 'rastratit'' (растратить) or 'progulyat'' (прогулять) instead.
- Do not confuse with 'disperse' (razognat' - разогнать) for crowds; 'dissipate' is more for gases, energies, abstract things.
Common Mistakes
- Using it for sudden disappearance (incorrect: *The pop star dissipated from the stage).
- Confusing spelling: 'dissapate' (wrong).
- Using it transitively for concrete, non-dispersible objects: *He dissipated the books on the table.
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'dissipate' CORRECTLY?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is considered formal. In everyday speech, people often use simpler words like 'disappear', 'scatter', or 'waste'.
Not directly for physical movement. You cannot say 'The protesters dissipated.' Use 'dispersed'. You can use it for a quality of people: 'His confidence dissipated.'
The main noun is 'dissipation', which carries both meanings: the process of disappearing (e.g., heat dissipation) and the act of wasting resources (e.g., a life of dissipation).
Both imply disappearance. 'Evaporate' is more specific to liquids turning to vapour and vanishing. 'Dissipate' is broader, applying to gases, energies, emotions, and resources, emphasizing scattering or thinning out.