What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
evaporate
Example
The water in the pot will eventually evaporate if left on the stove. [evaporate: verb]
Example
The morning dew on the grass quickly evaporated as the sun rose higher. [evaporated: past tense]
dissipate
Example
The smoke from the fire dissipated quickly in the wind. [dissipated: past tense]
Example
The tension in the room slowly dissipated as people began to relax. [dissipated: verb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Evaporate is less common than dissipate in everyday language, as it is more often used in scientific or technical contexts. Dissipate is more versatile and can be used in various contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between evaporate and dissipate?
Evaporate is more formal than dissipate, as it is more commonly used in technical or scientific writing. Dissipate is more versatile and can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
