What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
disperse
Example
The protesters were asked to disperse by the police. [disperse: verb]
Example
The wind will disperse the smoke from the fire. [disperse: verb]
disseminate
Example
The organization aims to disseminate information about climate change. [disseminate: verb]
Example
The study's findings were disseminated through various academic journals. [disseminated: past participle]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Disperse is more commonly used than disseminate in everyday language. Disperse is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while disseminate is less common and often used in academic or professional settings.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between disperse and disseminate?
Disseminate is generally considered more formal than disperse. It is often used in academic, scientific, or professional contexts where precision and accuracy are important.