defusal

From defuse +‎ -al.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /diːˈfjuːzəl/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /diˈfjuzəl/, /dɪˈfjuzəl/
• Hyphenation: de‧fu‧sal
• Rhymes: -uːzəl

defusal (countable and uncountable, plural defusals)

1. (uncountable, military, explosives) 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.
   • 2017 August 30, Agence France-Presse, “WW2 'blockbuster' bomb to force evacuation of 70,000 in Frankfurt”, in The Guardian‎^[1], archived from the original on 28 April 2021, retrieved 20 February 2026:

     It will allow for the safe defusal of the 1,400kg British bomb.

   • 2025 February 24, Cpl. Ernesto Lagunes, “EOD simulated underwater mine defusal for Iron Fist 25”, in Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS)‎^[2], archived from the original on 5 March 2025, retrieved 20 February 2026:

     ...a simulated underwater mine defusal range...

2. (figurative, uncountable) The act or process of calming, de-escalating, or otherwise making a potentially dangerous, volatile, or tense situation less dangerous or tense.
   • 2025 May 2, Munir Ahmed, Aijaz Hussain, “Pakistan asks Gulf allies to help ease India tensions following Kashmir attack”, in AP News‎^[3], archived from the original on 3 May 2025, retrieved 20 February 2026:

     ...press India for de-escalation and the defusal of tensions...

   • 2025 July 4, David H. Nikkel, “The Scopes Trial and Its Long Shadow”, in Religions‎^[4], volume 16, number 7, →DOI, archived from the original on 20 February 2026, retrieved 20 February 2026, page 871:

     ...lists defusal of the conflict between science and religion first among the three main objectives...

3. (countable) A particular instance or operation of defusing, especially an explosive device.
   • 2025 June 4, Alex Croft, “Around 20,000 evacuated in Cologne as major bomb defusal operation underway”, in The Independent‎^[5], archived from the original on 26 July 2025, retrieved 20 February 2026:

     Bomb defusals are common in Cologne...

• Especially in explosives contexts, common in attributive compounds such as bomb defusal and mine defusal.

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

• bomb defusal
• mine defusal
• defusal operation

• defuse
• defuser
• defusing
• fuse
• fuze (explosives spelling)