What does "dissolve" mean?
a form of film punctuation in which there is a gradual transition from one scene to the next
Dissolve
/dɪˈzɒlv/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: a form of film punctuation in which there is a gradual transition from one scene to the next
- Grammar: dissolve is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: disband, disestablish, ablate, abolish.
- Useful contrasts: agglomerated, ceremonial covenant, compactest.
- Usage evidence: Sugar will dissolve in a glass of water quickly.
How to use "dissolve"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "dissolve" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "dissolve" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "dissolve" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "dissolve" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "dissolve" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "disband" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "dissolve", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 a form of film punctuation in which there is a gradual transition from one scene to the next
"While most of the film is done in medium and long shots (connected with dissolves and wipes which lend a lovely period effect)"
- 2 (film) a gradual transition from one scene to the next; the next scene is gradually superimposed as the former scene fades out wordnet
Verb
- 1 To terminate a union of multiple members actively, as by disbanding. transitive
"The ruling party or coalition sometimes dissolves parliament early when the polls are favorable, hoping to reconvene with a larger majority."
- 2 declare void wordnet
- 3 To destroy, make disappear. transitive
- 4 come to an end (of a state) wordnet
- 5 To liquify, melt into a fluid. transitive
"as if the world were all dissolved to tears"
Show 20 more definitions
- 6 bring the association of to an end or cause to break up wordnet
- 7 To be melted, changed into a fluid. intransitive
- 8 become or cause to become soft or liquid wordnet
- 9 To disintegrate chemically into a solution by immersion into a liquid or other material. physical, transitive
"There was a legend that Cleopatra was accustomed to dissolve pearls in vinegar and drink the fluid in order to promote her amorousness."
- 10 pass into a solution wordnet
- 11 To be disintegrated by such immersion. intransitive, physical
- 12 cause to go into a solution wordnet
- 13 To disperse, drive apart a group of persons. transitive
"Nothing can dissolve us."
- 14 grow less and less substantial until it disappears wordnet
- 15 To break the continuity of; to disconnect; to loosen; to undo; to separate. transitive
"Down fell the duke, his joints dissolved asunder."
- 16 cause to fade away wordnet
- 17 To annul; to rescind; to discharge or release. transitive
"to dissolve an injunction"
- 18 lose control emotionally wordnet
- 19 To shift from one shot to another by having the former fade out as the latter fades in. intransitive
- 20 cause to lose control emotionally wordnet
- 21 To resolve itself as by dissolution. intransitive
- 22 stop functioning or cohering as a unit wordnet
- 23 To solve; to clear up; to resolve. obsolete
"dissolved the mystery"
- 24 To relax by pleasure; to make powerless.
"Seraph and Cherub, careleſs of their charge, / And wanton, in full eaſe now live at large: / Unguarded leave the paſſes of the Sky; / And all diſſolv'd in Hallelujahs lye."
- 25 To separate a ligature into its component letters.
Antonyms
Example
"Sugar will dissolve in a glass of water quickly."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "dissolve"?
Common synonyms include: disband, disestablish, ablate, abolish, abrogate, adjourn.
How do you use "dissolve" in a sentence?
Sugar will dissolve in a glass of water quickly.
How do you pronounce "dissolve"?
Pronounced /dɪˈzɒlv/.
Etymology
Recorded since c. 1374 (displacing Old English toliesan) as Middle English dissolven, from Latin dissolvere (“to loosen up, break apart”) but with the sense from Anglo-Norman dissoldre (variant of Old French dissoudre), itself from dis- (“apart”) + solvere (“to loose, loosen”). By surface analysis, dis- + solve.