diffusion
7 synonyms and 1 antonym for diffusion, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — The movement of particles from a region where they are more concentrated to one where they are less concentrated, until they are evenly spread out.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. noun
The movement of particles from a region where they are more concentrated to one where they are less concentrated, until they are evenly spread out.
“Oxygen passes from the lungs into the blood by diffusion.”
Opposites
2. noun
The gradual spread of an idea, technology, custom or practice through a population or from one culture to another.
“The diffusion of smartphones through rural markets took barely a decade.”
How to use diffusion
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Neutral; core vocabulary in biology, chemistry, physics, sociology and photography.
Etymology
From Latin diffundere 'to pour out, spread', formed from dis- 'apart' and fundere 'to pour'.
Full origin of diffusion →