Defused refers to diffusing a potentially explosive situation or neutralizing it before it escalates. There are several synonyms for defused, including diffuse, dissipate, mitigate, pacify, settle, and calm. To diffuse means to spread out or scatter, while dissipate refers to reducing the intensity of something within a space or separating its parts. Mitigate indicates an attempt to lessen the severity of a potentially negative situation. To pacify is to soothe someone who is angry or upset, while settling refers to bringing something to an agreeable conclusion. Lastly, calming means to reduce tension and promote a sense of tranquility. Thus, these synonyms can be used interchangeably with defused in appropriate contexts.