Meanings
noundefusal (countable and uncountable, plural defusals)
plural defusals
- uncountableexplosivesgovernmentThe 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.
...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 20261 more example
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 - figurativelyuncountableThe 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 20261 more example
...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 - countableA 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
Synonyms & antonyms
sense 1
Similar
bomb disposal
sense 2
Similar
Origin
Translations
Arabic إبطال مفعول, تهدئة
- إبطال مفعول (ibṭāl mafʿūl)act or process of making safe an explosive device
- تهدئة (tahdi'a)act or process of de-escalating a tense situation
- خفض التصعيد (khafḍ at-taṣʿīd)act or process of de-escalating a tense situation
Chinese 拆弹, 排爆
- 拆弹 (chāidàn)act or process of making safe an explosive device
- 排爆 (páibào)act or process of making safe an explosive device
- 缓和 (huǎnhé)act or process of de-escalating a tense situation
French désamorçage, désamorçage
- désamorçageact or process of making safe an explosive device
- désamorçageact or process of de-escalating a tense situation
German Entschärfung, Entschärfung
- Entschärfungact or process of making safe an explosive device
- Entschärfungact or process of de-escalating a tense situation
- Deeskalationact or process of de-escalating a tense situation
Italian disinnesco, distensione
- disinnescoact or process of making safe an explosive device
- distensioneact or process of de-escalating a tense situation
Japanese 爆弾解除, 緊張緩和
- 爆弾解除 (bakudan kaijo)act or process of making safe an explosive device
- 緊張緩和 (kinchō kanwa)act or process of de-escalating a tense situation
Portuguese desativação, distensão
- desativaçãoact or process of making safe an explosive device
- distensãoact or process of de-escalating a tense situation
Russian обезвре́живание, разря́дка
- обезвре́живание (obezvréživanije)act or process of making safe an explosive device
- разря́дка (razrjádka)act or process of de-escalating a tense situation
- деэскала́ция (deeskalácija)act or process of de-escalating a tense situation
Spanish desactivación, desescalada
- desactivaciónact or process of making safe an explosive device
- desescaladaact or process of de-escalating a tense situation
- distensiónact or process of de-escalating a tense situation
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with defusal
All rhymes →Cite this entry
APA
defusal. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/defusal
MLA
“defusal.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/defusal. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “defusal,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/defusal.
Source: defusal on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.