Defuse
What it means
To make a tense or dangerous situation calmer and less likely to cause harm.
Reach for it when praising an intervention that lowers conflict before it escalates
Her honest apology helped defuse the argument before it spread.
Words to choose between 6
| everyday | |
|---|---|
| warm | |
| professional |
|
| formal | |
| literary |
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everyday
Fits when soothing people or a situation is enough
Careful Calm may quiet emotion without addressing the source of danger.
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warm
Fits when tension diminishes gradually
Careful Ease is too gentle for preventing imminent violence.
-
professional
de-escalate
Fits when reducing the intensity of conflict is the explicit goal
Careful De-escalate can sound clinical in a personal apology.
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professional
Fits when the underlying disagreement is actually settled
Careful A situation can be defused while the dispute remains unresolved.
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formal
neutralize
Fits when a threat is rendered ineffective
Careful Neutralize can sound militarized and imply removing a person.
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literary
Fits when warmth or candor removes hostility
Careful Its figurative charm is wrong for a formal safety procedure.
Opposites 4
- inflame
- escalate
- provoke
- aggravate
Common phrases 4
-
defuse tension
The facilitator used a short pause to defuse tension around the table.
-
defuse the situation
A clear correction helped defuse the situation before rumors spread.
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help defuse
Inviting residents to inspect the plans may help defuse the dispute.
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quickly defuse
The supervisor quickly defused the exchange without dismissing either concern.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Vealhurl, Southern England accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Updated