declassify

verb

de·​clas·​si·​fy (ˌ)dē-ˈkla-sə-ˌfī How to pronounce declassify (audio)
declassified; declassifying; declassifies

transitive verb

: to remove or reduce the security classification of
declassify a secret document
declassification noun

Examples of declassify in a Sentence

The government has not yet declassified that information.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Kimmel's opening monologue featured more jokes at the expense of President Donald Trump and his administration, including a joke about Trump's surprise decision last week to order his administration to declassify records about Amelia Earhart's disappearance. Julia Moore, PEOPLE, 30 Sep. 2025 On Friday President Trump announced that all government documents related to American aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart will be declassified, sparking criticism from commentators and Democratic politicians on social media that a similar move hasn’t been taken with the Jeffrey Epstein files. James Bickerton, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Sep. 2025 The National Archives was required to release the trove under a provision included in an annual defense policy bill directing the executive branch to declassify certain records. Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025 Earlier in 2024, Fox News trimmed a portion of his answer to a question when he was asked about declassifying files related to Jeffrey Epstein. Ted Johnson, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for declassify

Word History

First Known Use

1945, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of declassify was in 1945

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Declassify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/declassify. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!