noun

• 1The action or process of distributing or spreading things or people over a wide area.

  ‘dispersal of pollen by the wind’

  More example sentences

  • ‘dispersals of archaic populations’
  • ‘We would also like to increase our understanding of population processes, such as dispersal and seedling recruitment.’
  • ‘But the process of dispersal was so slow that the rate of faunal replacement between different groups was much slower than the process of evolution within them.’
  • ‘One group will focus on natural processes that affect dispersal of genes such as wind, timing of plant flowering, or proximity to compatible wild relatives.’
  • ‘In addition to the importance of single processes, the role played by the spatial coupling between seed dispersal and subsequent processes has been highlighted by several reports.’
  • ‘Additional benefits of dispersal from the natal area might be avoidance of high levels of inbreeding or avoidance of local resource competition.’
  • ‘More work is needed on the period after dispersal from the natal area, but we believe there is some variability in length of the dependent period for this species.’
  • ‘The wide dispersal of military museums curiously bodes well for survival of the nation's military heritage.’
  • ‘We observed an influx of long-tailed ducks into coastal lagoons in July, followed by dispersal to other areas in late August.’
  • ‘The distribution of organisms can be regulated by local environmental factors and regional processes such as dispersal.’
  • ‘Seed dispersal is the main process linking the spatial pattern of parent plants with that of their offspring.’
  • ‘Also, Tree Swallows do not defend foraging areas, so dispersal does not affect access to food.’
  • ‘Many of them flourish in a broad range of habitats, and nearly all of them are adapted for wide dispersal.’
  • ‘I recite these names in part to illustrate the wide geographic dispersal of the scholars.’
  • ‘However, the extent to which dispersal limits local distribution is poorly known.’
  • ‘Many other factors may intervene to distort or completely eliminate the influences of seed dispersal patterns on subsequent distributions.’
  • ‘The only answer seems to be the widest dispersal possible of power and wealth.’
  • ‘Genetic differentiation among populations is principally a function of gene flow among populations via pollen and seed dispersal.’
  • ‘It spreads rapidly into disturbed areas via animals or water dispersal.’
  • ‘Morphological and cytological evidence point to an origin of the genus in South America, followed by subsequent long-distance dispersals to explain current distribution patterns.’
  • ‘A longer period of dispersal tends to mean a wider dispersal as well, which may eventually help a species populate new areas.’

  Synonyms

  spreading, circulation, distribution, dispersal, diffusion

  1. 1.1The splitting up of a group of people, causing them to leave in different directions.
     ‘the dispersal of the crowd by mounted police’
     More example sentences

     • ‘Police have made 13 other dispersal directions.’
     • ‘Sometimes protesters would be given clear direction and dispersal warnings.’
     • ‘The report said Government policies of dispersal and direct provision acted to segregate asylum seekers from the community.’
     • ‘The army said the soldiers used crowd dispersal means.’
     • ‘But the police were reluctant because of issues over crowd dispersal and transport.’
     • ‘The initial group abandoned this march, but a second group formed and, when police ordered its dispersal, the crowd reacted by throwing stones at officials.’
     • ‘If a crowd of random walkers starts from the same point, the pattern of dispersal of the crowd is predictable.’
     • ‘From Monday, officers will have the power to dish out dispersal orders to split up gangs of troublesome teenagers that congregate to cause criminal damage, graffiti and intimidation.’
     • ‘Police have imposed dispersal zones in three areas where yobbish behaviour is bringing misery to residents.’
     • ‘A dispersal area is a consideration, however it does involve quite stringent restrictions on the liberty of young people in the area and it cannot be used disproportionately.’
     • ‘A dispersal area, which allows officers to send home groups harassing residents, is now in operation.’
     • ‘High visibility policing led to 25 arrests and 16 people being removed from the borough's new dispersal areas after two days of intensive patrols.’
     • ‘The Clifton dispersal area was initially hailed as a success by residents as extra patrols cleared the streets of problem groups.’
     • ‘The only dispersal areas available were constructed during World War II and could, with a little effort, be converted into blast-proof pens.’
     • ‘In October, dispersals to six areas of England were suspended at the request of the police, after a series of vicious attacks on asylum seekers.’
     • ‘Despite the evident dispersal of some comic book artists to remote locations, these artists form a social economy that periodically interacts intensively.’
  2. 1.2The splitting up and selling off of a collection of artefacts or books.
     ‘the dispersal of the John Willett Collection’
     More example sentences

     • ‘colleges had made large dispersals, and the shops were filled with books’
     • ‘The intense demand that existed for former Taozhai objects is apparent in the collection's dispersal throughout China and the world.’
     • ‘To avoid any such dispersal of Basilevsky's collection of medieval and renaissance applied arts, Alexander II!’
     • ‘During 1914, it was decided that the Society should limit its interests to New England, and the dispersal of its research collections was begun.’
     • ‘At the same time, the dispersal of the collections of Roman families such as the Altemps, Barberini, and Borghese greatly enriched the market.’
     • ‘News of the sale, however, has been met with dismay and alarm by some in the art world who see the dispersal of Breton's collection as a great public loss.’
     • ‘In the end, his collection went to the BMS for dispersal.’
     • ‘Its dispersal encouraged A. E. Gallatin to open his own collection to the public in New York as the Museum of Living Art.’
     • ‘Two years ago he added to it the Furstenberg collection of Old Masters, so preventing its dispersal.’
     • ‘The result was the dispersal of the books in languages other than Chinese among different departmental libraries, and a long period of neglect.’
     • ‘With its dispersal at auction, thousands of collectors throughout the world will have an opportunity to see - and acquire - a vast array of rare and wonderful items.’
     • ‘Yet, in order to remain solvent, many museums face cutbacks and, in some instances, the dispersal of part of their collections.’
     • ‘He was particularly concerned at the dispersal of many archives and books by the dissolution of the monasteries.’