fusion
fusion
Pronunciation
/ˈfjuːʒən/
fu- /fjuː/
/f/ - voiceless labiodental fricative
/j/ - palatal approximant
/uː/ - close back rounded vowel
-sion /ʒən/
/ʒ/ - voiced postalveolar fricative
/ə/ - schwa
/n/ - alveolar nasal
Word Form Variations
Singular Noun: fusion
Plural Noun: fusions
Adjective: fusional
Adjective: fused (past participle used as an adjective)
Verb: fuse
Verb: fuses (third-person singular present)
Verb: fusing (present participle)
Verb: fused (past tense)
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
The process or result of joining two or more things together to form a single entity. This can refer to a physical combination, a figurative merging of ideas, or the creation of a new, unified whole from disparate parts.
Synonyms: blending, synthesis, coalescence, integration, combination
Antonyms: separation, division, segregation, dissolution, fragmentation
A nuclear reaction in which atomic nuclei of a lighter element are forced together to form a heavier nucleus, releasing a large amount of energy.
Synonyms: thermonuclear reaction
Antonyms: fission
A style of music that combines elements from two or more distinct genres, such as jazz with rock, or funk with electronic music.
Synonyms: hybrid, crossover
Antonyms: purism, traditionalism
A culinary style that blends ingredients or techniques from different regional or national cuisines to create new dishes.
Synonyms: hybrid cuisine, eclectic cooking
Antonyms: traditional cuisine, authentic cooking
Examples of Use
In Newspapers and Online Publications
A headline in The Guardian reported on a "major breakthrough" by U.S. scientists at a California facility who achieved a net energy gain from a nuclear fusion reaction. (December 2022)
The New York Times described a restaurant's menu as "an ambitious fusion of Japanese and Peruvian cuisines," highlighting the blend of different culinary traditions.
An article on the website World-Nuclear.org explains that nuclear fusion power is being explored through two main experimental approaches: magnetic confinement and inertial confinement. (June 2025)
In Books and Scholarly Works
In The Boy Who Played with Fusion, Tom Clynes writes a narrative non-fiction account of a teenager's quest to build a nuclear fusion reactor in his home.
The political science book Civic Fusion by Susan L. Podziba discusses a model for mediating polarized public disputes, outlining how different groups can "fuse" their ideas to reach a common agreement. (2012)
A scholarly article in Fusion Journal discusses how listening to non-human elements in the environment could offer a better understanding of the "Anthropocene" era, exploring a "fusion" of scientific and artistic perspectives.
In Entertainment
The film Jackie Brown is often cited as a prime example of "blaxploitation fusion" by film critics, as it blends elements of the blaxploitation genre with the crime thriller style of its director, Quentin Tarantino.
A concert review might praise a band for their "masterful fusion of jazz, funk, and rock," noting the seamless combination of these musical styles into a unique sound.
The video game Dragon Ball Z: Budokai features a "fusion" mechanic, allowing certain characters to combine into a single, more powerful warrior for a limited time.
The popular musical Hadestown is a work of "genre fusion," weaving together Greek mythology with American folk, jazz, and blues musical traditions.
In General Public Discourse
During a political debate, a pundit might describe a new political party as a "fusion ticket" to describe how it brought together different political factions, like libertarians and social conservatives, under a single banner.
A chef on a cooking show might describe their dish as a "fusion" dish, explaining how they combined traditional French cooking techniques with ingredients from Southeast Asia.
Friends might discuss their musical tastes and one could say, "I've been listening to a lot of fusion lately, like Miles Davis's early electric stuff."
In a business meeting, a manager might propose a "fusion" of two departments, explaining that merging them would lead to greater efficiency and collaboration.
10 Famous Quotes Using Fusion
"I would like nuclear fusion to become a practical power source. It would provide an inexhaustible supply of energy, without pollution or global warming." (Stephen Hawking)
"No, the real American has not yet arrived. He is only in the Crucible, I tell you—he will be the fusion of all races, perhaps the coming superman." (Israel Zangwill)
"I think there’s something really poetic about using nuclear power to propel us to the stars, because the stars are giant fusion reactors. They're giant nuclear cauldrons in the sky." (Taylor Wilson)
"Classical cooking and molecular gastronomy should remain separate. You can mix two styles and get fusion; any more, and you just get confusion." (Alain Ducasse)
"I once took a ride to the beach in L.A., and all along the shore there were all these so-called jazz places. And I saw these college guys and session players playing this fusion Muzak stuff." (Jeff Buckley)
"As far as love is concerned, possession, power, fusion and disenchantment are the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse." (Zygmunt Bauman)
"The richness of an artist is the fusion of influences that have shaped his life and work." (Fernando Botero)
"Fusion food as a concept is kind of trying to quite consciously fuse things that are sometimes quite contradictory, sometimes quite far apart, to see if they'd work." (Yotam Ottolenghi)
"After the war, once the bop revolution had taken hold, there were all kinds of young musicians, talented young musicians, who were ready for this fusion of classical and jazz." (Gunther Schuller)
"If there is knowledge, it lies in the fusion of the book and the street." (Studs Terkel)
Etymology
The word "fusion" has a simple and direct history that helps explain its meaning. It comes from the Latin word fusio, which means "a pouring out" or "a melting." This Latin term, in turn, is derived from the verb fundere, meaning "to pour, melt, or cast."
The earliest use of "fusion" in English, dating back to the 14th century, referred specifically to the physical act of melting or smelting metal—the process of heating a solid material until it becomes a liquid. Think of a blacksmith melting iron or a sculptor melting bronze to cast a new shape. The word was also used to describe the liquid state of something that had been melted.
Over time, its meaning broadened from this literal, physical process to a more general and figurative sense. By the 17th century, "fusion" was being used to describe the blending or merging of different things into a single whole, much like how melted metals combine. This is where we get the modern meanings, whether it's the fusion of flavors in a dish, the fusion of different musical styles, or the nuclear fusion that powers the sun, which is essentially the "melting" together of atomic nuclei.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Fusion
Phrases Using "Fusion"
Fusion cuisine: A style of cooking that blends culinary traditions from different countries or regions.
Cold fusion: A hypothetical type of nuclear fusion that would occur at or near room temperature.
Nuclear fusion: The process by which two or more atomic nuclei join to form a single, heavier nucleus.
Fusion music: A genre of music that combines two or more different styles, such as jazz fusion or folk fusion.
Fusion reactor: A device or machine designed to create a nuclear fusion reaction.
Cultural fusion: The blending of different cultures, customs, and ideas.
Fusion of ideas: The combination of different concepts or thoughts to create a new one.
Phrases and Idioms with Similar Effect (using synonyms)
Melting pot: A term used to describe a society where different types of people, backgrounds, and cultures are assimilated into a single whole.
To blend in: To become a part of a group or situation without being noticed as different.
Seamless blend: A smooth and natural combination of different elements.
To merge with: To join together or combine with something else.
To become one: To unite or combine into a single entity.
A synthesis of...: A combination or mixture of different parts to create a new whole.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of fusion from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
