deaccession
verb
de·ac·ces·sion
ˌdē-ik-ˈse-shən 
-ak-
deaccessioned; deaccessioning; deaccessions
: to sell or otherwise dispose of (an item in a collection)
The museum deaccessioned several paintings.
deaccession
noun
Examples of deaccession in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Museum Used Art Sale Proceeds for Operating Costs
The whistleblower alleged that proceeds from sales of artworks that were being deaccessioned, which typically can be used only to bolster funds for new acquisitions, were improperly used to support operating expenses.
—
Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 19 May 2026
In 2019, the DX abruptly closed its permanent collection, and curators were charged with deaccessioning its objects.
—Allison Marsh, IEEE Spectrum, 24 Jan. 2026
The relic, like many others that the museum has deaccessioned over the years, no longer appears on its website.
—Sam Tabachnik, The Denver Post, 10 June 2024
In 2011, it was deaccessioned—or permanently removed from the collection—and sold to an anonymous collector in a private sale through Christie’s, with proceeds going to fund preservation of other items in the hall’s collection, said spokesperson Rich Desrosiers.
—Jocelyn Noveck, Fortune, 28 Apr. 2023
The Education Gallery is featuring a display curated by Canning on deaccessioning art, with an explanation of what the process is and examples from the Brauer’s collection of pieces that the museum can and cannot divest from.
—Amy Lavalley, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2023
Annually, the Met typically deaccessions around $10 million worth of art.
—Angelica Villa For Artnews, Robb Report, 21 Sep. 2021
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Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 19 May 2026
In 2019, the DX abruptly closed its permanent collection, and curators were charged with deaccessioning its objects.
—Allison Marsh, IEEE Spectrum, 24 Jan. 2026
The relic, like many others that the museum has deaccessioned over the years, no longer appears on its website.
—Sam Tabachnik, The Denver Post, 10 June 2024
In 2011, it was deaccessioned—or permanently removed from the collection—and sold to an anonymous collector in a private sale through Christie’s, with proceeds going to fund preservation of other items in the hall’s collection, said spokesperson Rich Desrosiers.
—Jocelyn Noveck, Fortune, 28 Apr. 2023
The Education Gallery is featuring a display curated by Canning on deaccessioning art, with an explanation of what the process is and examples from the Brauer’s collection of pieces that the museum can and cannot divest from.
—Amy Lavalley, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2023
Annually, the Met typically deaccessions around $10 million worth of art.
—Angelica Villa For Artnews, Robb Report, 21 Sep. 2021
Cite this Entry
“Deaccession.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deaccession. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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