Dictionary

defusal en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /diːˈfjuːzəl/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /dɪˈfjuzəl/ (General-American)
• /diˈfjuzəl/ (General-American)

Etymology

Etymology tree English defuse Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālisbor. Old French -albor. ▲ Latin -ālis Old French -elbor. ▲ Latin -ālisbor. Middle English -al English -al English defusal From defuse + -al.

Meanings

1. (qualifier:explosives, uncountable) The act or process of making safe an explosive device (for example, a bomb, mine, or improvised explosive device), as by removing, disabling, or neutralizing its fuse, detonator, etc.
   • It will allow for the safe defusal of the 1,400kg British bomb. 2017 August 30, Agence France-Presse, “WW2 'blockbuster' bomb to force evacuation of 70,000 in Frankfurt”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 28 Apr 2021, retrieved 20 Feb 2026:
   • ...a simulated underwater mine defusal range... 2025 February 24, Cpl. Ernesto Lagunes, “EOD simulated underwater mine defusal for Iron Fist 25”, in Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS), archived from the original on 05 Mar 2025, retrieved 20 Feb 2026:
2. (figuratively, uncountable) The act or process of calming, de-escalating, or otherwise making a potentially dangerous, volatile, or tense situation less dangerous or tense.
   • ...press India for de-escalation and the defusal of tensions... 2025 May 2, Munir Ahmed, Aijaz Hussain, “Pakistan asks Gulf allies to help ease India tensions following Kashmir attack”, in AP News, archived from the original on 03 May 2025, retrieved 20 Feb 2026:
   • ...lists defusal of the conflict between science and religion first among the three main objectives... 2025 July 4, David H. Nikkel, “The Scopes Trial and Its Long Shadow”, in Religions, volume 16, number 7, →DOI, archived from the original on 20 Feb 2026, retrieved 20 Feb 2026, page 871:
3. (countable) A particular instance or operation of defusing, especially an explosive device.
   • Bomb defusals are common in Cologne... 2025 June 4, Alex Croft, “Around 20,000 evacuated in Cologne as major bomb defusal operation underway”, in The Independent, archived from the original on 26 Jul 2025, retrieved 20 Feb 2026:

Forms

Deriveds

defusal operation · mine defusal · bomb defusal

Relateds

defusing · fuse · defuser · defuse · fuze

Synonyms

disarming · bomb disposal (sense 1) · calming · defusing · de-escalation (sense 2) · deactivation

Translations (23)

ar تهدئة (act or process of de-escalating a tense situation) · zh 排爆 (act or process of making safe an explosive device) · de Deeskalation (act or process of de-escalating a tense situation) · fr désamorçage (act or process of making safe an explosive device) · pt distensão (act or process of de-escalating a tense situation) · ru разря́дка (act or process of de-escalating a tense situation) · zh 拆弹 (act or process of making safe an explosive device) · de Entschärfung (act or process of de-escalating a tense situation) · pt desativação (act or process of making safe an explosive device) · ar خفض التصعيد (act or process of de-escalating a tense situation) · es desescalada (act or process of de-escalating a tense situation) · ru обезвре́живание (act or process of making safe an explosive device) · zh 缓和 (act or process of de-escalating a tense situation) · it distensione (act or process of de-escalating a tense situation) · ru деэскала́ция (act or process of de-escalating a tense situation) · ar إبطال مفعول (act or process of making safe an explosive device) · de Entschärfung (act or process of making safe an explosive device) · ja 爆弾解除 (act or process of making safe an explosive device) · es distensión (act or process of de-escalating a tense situation) · it disinnesco (act or process of making safe an explosive device) · fr désamorçage (act or process of de-escalating a tense situation) · es desactivación (act or process of making safe an explosive device) · ja 緊張緩和 (act or process of de-escalating a tense situation)