declassify

1 of 2

verb

de·​clas·​si·​fy (ˌ)dē-ˈkla-sə-ˌfī 

declassified; declassifying; declassifies

transitive verb

: to remove or reduce the security classification of

declassify a secret document

declassification

(ˌ)dē-ˌkla-sə-fə-ˈkā-shən 

noun

declassification

2 of 2

noun

de·​classification (ˈ)dē+ 

plural -s

: the act or process of declassifying

Examples of declassify in a Sentence

Verb

The government has not yet declassified that information.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

In April 2020, an intelligence assessment determined that Chinese intelligence officials analyzed voter registration data from multiple states, according to a report that was declassified in 2022. — Justine McDaniel, Los Angeles Times, 17 July 2026

As part of the president’s speech, the administration may also declassify a number of reports spanning from 2020 to this year related to election integrity, the people said. — Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 16 July 2026

Since the fall of the Soviet Union 35 years ago, government files have been declassified and grand-jury testimonies unsealed; key players have made dramatic confessions. — Amy Weiss-Meyer, The Atlantic, 10 July 2026

In 2014, raiders won 72% of votes cast to declassify Costco's board and still lost, because that was less than half of all shares. — Kyle Westaway, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1945, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for declassify

• acidify
• alveoli
• antinomy
• areolae
• demystify
• detoxify
• disqualify
• diversify
• electrify
• exemplify
• fasciculi
• identify