dispersal
gb/dɪspˈɚsəl/ us/dɪspˈɚsəl/
C1
English
szétszóródás, szétoszlás, terjedés, szétszéledés, feloszlatás, szétoszlatás, széttelepítés, szétszórás, elosztás, szétosztás, diszperzió, eloszlás
NOUN
C1
1
szétszóródás
B2
szétoszlás
B2
Usage pattern:
the dispersal of [people/things/substance]
The wind helped the dispersal of smoke from the fire.
A szél segítette a tűzből származó füst szétoszlását.
Scientists tracked the dispersal of ash after the eruption.
A kutatók nyomon követték a hamu szétszóródását a kitörés után.
Improved ventilation speeds up the dispersal of fumes.
Learner examples
The dispersal of the smell was slow.
A szag szétoszlása lassú volt.
Rain caused the dispersal of dust.
Az eső a por szétszóródását okozta.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse dispersal with dispersion (a related science term) or with disbursal/disbursement (money).
Meaning
spreading out in different directions
Collocations
the dispersal of smoke
|the dispersal of pollen
|the dispersal of ash
|rapid dispersal
|wide dispersal
|natural dispersal
|forced dispersal
|dispersal across the region
|dispersal into the air
|dispersal throughout the city
Synonyms
scattering (emphasizes separation into many small parts or groups)
|
spreading (focuses on covering a wider area)
|
distribution (often suggests planned or organized spreading)
Antonyms
concentration (being gathered together in one area)
|
gathering (the coming together of people or things)
Themes
daily_life
|science
|environment
Definition
when something spreads out and is not in one place anymore
the process or act of spreading people, things, or substances over a wide area so they are no longer together
NOUN
C1
TECHNICAL
2
terjedés
B2
szétszéledés
C1
Usage pattern:
[species/seed] dispersal
Birds play a major role in the dispersal of seeds.
A madarak fontos szerepet játszanak a magvak terjedésében.
The study looked at wolf dispersal into nearby valleys.
A tanulmány a farkasok közeli völgyekbe történő szétszéledését vizsgálta.
Habitat corridors can support dispersal between populations.
Learner examples
Bees help the dispersal of pollen.
A méhek segítik a pollen terjedését.
Seeds need water for dispersal.
A magok terjedéséhez vízre van szükség.
Common mistake:
Learners may use migration when the meaning is specifically spreading out from an origin, especially for young animals or seeds.
Meaning
animals or plants spreading to new areas
Collocations
seed dispersal
|species dispersal
|offspring dispersal
|long-distance dispersal
|dispersal ability
|dispersal corridor
|dispersal distance
|dispersal mechanism
|juvenile dispersal
|animal dispersal
Synonyms
spread (more general; less technical than dispersal)
|
range expansion (emphasizes increase in geographic range over time)
Antonyms
localization (being limited to one area)
|
confinement (being kept within boundaries)
Themes
biology
|environment
Definition
when animals or plants spread to new places
the movement of animals, plants, or their offspring away from where they began, resulting in a wider geographic distribution
NOUN
C1
FORMAL
3
feloszlatás
B2
szétoszlatás
B2
Usage pattern:
the dispersal of [a crowd/protesters]
Police ordered the dispersal of the crowd after the match.
A rendőrség a meccs után elrendelte a tömeg feloszlatását.
The dispersal of protesters was filmed by bystanders.
A tüntetők szétoszlatását a járókelők is felvették.
Officials negotiated a peaceful dispersal from the square.
Learner examples
The police asked for dispersal.
A rendőrség felszólította a tömeget, hogy oszoljon fel.
After the concert, the dispersal was quick.
A koncert után gyorsan feloszlott a tömeg.
Common mistake:
Do not use dispersal to mean a peaceful ending of an event unless the idea is that people spread out and leave.
Meaning
breaking up a crowd
Collocations
crowd dispersal
|the dispersal of protesters
|the dispersal of a demonstration
|ordered dispersal
|forced dispersal
|peaceful dispersal
|violent dispersal
|dispersal tactics
|dispersal powers
|dispersal order
Synonyms
break-up (more informal; often used for ending a group or fight)
|
clearing (focuses on removing people from an area)
Antonyms
assembly (people coming together in a group)
|
gathering (forming a crowd or group)
Themes
law
|society
|security
Definition
when people in a crowd are made to go home
the act or process of making a crowd or group leave and stop gathering, especially by police or organizers
NOUN
C1
FORMAL
4
szétszórás
C1
Usage pattern:
the dispersal of [forces/aircraft/resources]
The dispersal of aircraft to smaller airfields reduced the risk of attack.
A repülőgépek kisebb repülőterekre való széttelepítése csökkentette a támadás kockázatát.
The plan called for the dispersal of supplies across several depots.
A terv a készletek több raktárba való széttelepítését írta elő.
Officials discussed dispersal measures ahead of the storm.
Learner examples
They planned the dispersal of equipment.
Megtervezték a felszerelés széttelepítését.
Dispersal can make an基地 safer.
A széttelepítés biztonságosabbá teheti a bázist.
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse distribution; dispersal often implies reducing concentration to avoid damage or attack.
Meaning
spreading forces to reduce risk
Collocations
aircraft dispersal
|force dispersal
|dispersal of troops
|dispersal of assets
|strategic dispersal
|emergency dispersal
|planned dispersal
|dispersal sites
|dispersal plan
|dispersal measures
Synonyms
deployment (emphasizes positioning for action, not just spreading out)
|
redistribution (emphasizes moving from one arrangement to another)
Antonyms
consolidation (bringing things together into fewer locations)
|
concentration (keeping forces or assets grouped)
Themes
military
|security
|emergency_management
Definition
spreading people or equipment out for safety
the deliberate spreading of people, vehicles, equipment, or resources across different locations to reduce vulnerability or improve coverage
NOUN
C1
FORMAL
5
elosztás
B1
szétosztás
B1
Usage pattern:
the dispersal of [funds/payments/aid]
The report criticized the slow dispersal of emergency funds.
A jelentés bírálta a sürgősségi alapok lassú elosztását.
New rules govern the dispersal of aid to local councils.
Új szabályok vonatkoznak a segély helyi önkormányzatoknak történő elosztására.
The agency published a schedule for the dispersal of payments.
Learner examples
The government announced the dispersal of money.
A kormány bejelentette a pénz elosztását.
Aid dispersal started yesterday.
A segélyek elosztása tegnap kezdődött.
Common mistake:
For money, disbursement is often the more standard term in finance; dispersal is broader and can sound less precise.
Meaning
distributing something among many recipients
Collocations
dispersal of funds
|dispersal of payments
|dispersal of aid
|dispersal of grants
|the timely dispersal
|the slow dispersal
|dispersal mechanism
|dispersal process
|dispersal to households
|dispersal across agencies
Synonyms
distribution (more common and neutral for organized giving out)
|
allocation (emphasizes deciding how much each person or place gets)
Antonyms
withholding (keeping something back instead of giving it out)
|
accumulation (building up in one place rather than spreading out)
Themes
business
|government
Definition
giving out something to many people or places
the act of distributing something so that it goes out to many different people or places rather than being kept together
NOUN
C1
TECHNICAL
6
Usage pattern:
the dispersal of [pollutants/chemicals] in [air/water]
The study modeled the dispersal of pollutants in the bay.
A vizsgálat a szennyező anyagok öbölbeli terjedését modellezte.
Wind direction affects the dispersal of airborne particles.
A szélirány befolyásolja a levegőben szálló részecskék terjedését.
Booms were used to limit the dispersal of oil near the shore.
Learner examples
Wind can change dispersal of smoke.
A szél megváltoztathatja a füst terjedését.
The team studied dispersal in water.
A csapat a vízben való terjedést vizsgálta.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse dispersal with dissolution (mixing into a liquid) or diffusion (a specific physical mechanism).
Meaning
spreading of pollutants in air or water
Collocations
pollutant dispersal
|chemical dispersal
|dispersal in the atmosphere
|ocean dispersal
|a dispersal model
|dispersal modeling
|dispersal plume
|dispersal conditions
|dispersal rates
|aerosol dispersal
Synonyms
dispersion (often used in technical contexts for spreading in a medium)
|
diffusion (more specific: spreading caused by particle movement)
Antonyms
containment (preventing a substance from spreading)
|
accumulation (build-up in one area rather than spreading)
Themes
environment
|science
|health
Definition
how a chemical spreads in air or water
the spreading of a substance through air, water, or another medium, especially in discussions of pollution and environmental impact
Grammar
Dictionary form
dispersal
IPA
GB/dɪspˈɚsəl/
US/dɪspˈɚsəl/
Syllables & stress
dis - pers - al (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (pers)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: dispersal
- Plural: dispersal, dispersals
Word family
Forms
dispersals
noun
Core family
disperse
verb B2
dispersion
noun
Related words
dispersed
adjective
Advanced or less common
dispersive
adjective
dispersible
adjective
Expressions
crowd dispersal
1/kɹˈaʊd dɪspˈɚsəl/
fixed phrase
formal
breaking up a crowd
actions to make a crowd go away
Examples
- The training covered crowd dispersal techniques.
- Tear gas is sometimes used for crowd dispersal.
- Officials said the crowd dispersal was necessary for safety.
Learner examples
- They planned crowd dispersal.
- Crowd dispersal happened at midnight.
dispersal order
1/dɪspˈɚsəl ˈɔɹdɚ/
fixed phrase
legal
official instruction to leave an area
an official order telling a crowd to leave
Examples
- Police issued a dispersal order after bottles were thrown.
- A dispersal order was put in place around the station.
- Anyone who ignored the dispersal order risked arrest.
Learner examples
- The police gave a dispersal order.
- People followed the dispersal order and left.
dispersal pattern
1/dɪspˈɚsəl pˈætɚn/
fixed phrase
technical
typical way something spreads
the usual way something spreads
Examples
- The team mapped the dispersal pattern of the invasive plant.
- Weather conditions can change the dispersal pattern of smoke.
- Researchers compared dispersal patterns across different habitats.
Learner examples
- They studied the dispersal pattern.
- Wind changed the dispersal pattern.
dispersal rate
1/dɪspˈɚsəl ɹˈeɪt/
fixed phrase
technical
speed of spreading out
how fast something spreads
Examples
- They calculated the dispersal rate of larvae in coastal waters.
- Lower wind speeds reduced the dispersal rate of dust.
- The model predicts a higher dispersal rate in summer.
Learner examples
- The dispersal rate was high.
- Wind affects the dispersal rate.
dispersal zone
1/dɪspˈɚsəl zˈoʊn/
fixed phrase
legal
area where people must not gather
an area where police can tell people to leave
Examples
- A dispersal zone was declared around the shopping centre.
- Officers patrolled the dispersal zone throughout the weekend.
- Residents were told what the dispersal zone rules meant.
Learner examples
- The city created a dispersal zone.
- People left the dispersal zone.
forced dispersal
1/fˈɔɹst dɪspˈɚsəl/
fixed phrase
formal
people made to scatter or leave
when people are made to leave or scatter
Examples
- Witnesses described the forced dispersal of the crowd.
- The report documented the forced dispersal of villages during the conflict.
- Leaders condemned the forced dispersal of peaceful demonstrators.
Learner examples
- They reported forced dispersal.
- Forced dispersal broke up the group.
seed dispersal
1/sˈid dɪspˈɚsəl/
fixed phrase
technical
movement of seeds to new places
how seeds spread to new places
Examples
- Dandelions rely on wind for seed dispersal.
- The researchers measured seed dispersal by birds.
- Flooding can cause long-distance seed dispersal.
Learner examples
- Wind helps seed dispersal.
- Birds can do seed dispersal.
strategic dispersal
1/stɹətˈid͡ʒɪk dɪspˈɚsəl/
fixed phrase
formal
planned spreading out for safety
spreading things out as part of a plan
Examples
- The review recommended strategic dispersal of backup servers.
- Strategic dispersal of equipment helped the team respond faster.
- The commander ordered strategic dispersal before dawn.
Learner examples
- They used strategic dispersal.
- Strategic dispersal can reduce risk.