Disperse-Disburse | Commonly Confused Words
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Disperse vs. Disburse

Disperse

/dɪˈspɜːs/
To spread something over a wide area

Examples:

The police used water cannons to disperse the crowd.Autumn wind helped disperse the fallen leaves across the yard.The seeds disperse more efficiently when attached to fluffy fibers.

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

Disburse

/dɪsˈbɜːs/
To pay out money from a fund

Examples:

The manager approved the fund to disburse for the project.We will disburse the scholarship money next week.Funds were disbursed quickly to help flood victims.

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

Ways to tell them apart:

etymology
  • Both words relate to the distribution of something, but in different contexts.
  • The word disburse involves the distribution of money from a specific source.
  • Disperse involves the spreading of things or people more generally, often over a wide area.
  • Think of the burse in disburse like a purse – it's about giving out money.
  • With disperse, imagine scatter and spread – it's more about moving things apart.
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