of something solid : to mix with a liquid and become part of the liquid

[no object]

• Sugar/salt dissolves in water.

[+ object]

• Dissolve the tablet in water.

2 [+ object] formal : to officially end (something, such as a marriage, organization, or agreement)

• She dissolved [=terminated] their partnership.

— often used as (be) dissolved

• The marriage/business/government was dissolved.
• The company has been dissolved.

3 somewhat formal : to end or disappear or cause (something) to end or disappear

[no object]

• His smile dissolved [=disappeared] when I told him the news.
• Hopes for peace dissolved in renewed violence.

[+ object]

• His kind words dissolved her sadness.
• The treatment is used to dissolve kidney stones.

◊ If you dissolve in/into tears/laughter, etc., you start to cry, laugh, etc., in an uncontrolled way.

• The audience dissolved into tears during the play’s final scene.
• The children dissolved into laughter/giggles.

— dissolvable /dɪˈzɑlvəbəl/ adjective

• The doctor used dissolvable  stitches to close the wound.