decommission

verb

de·​com·​mis·​sion ˌdē-kə-ˈmi-shən How to pronounce decommission (audio)
decommissioned; decommissioning; decommissions

transitive verb

: to remove (something, such as a ship or a nuclear power plant) from service

Examples of decommission in a Sentence

Several military bases are scheduled to be decommissioned. The government is decommissioning the nuclear power plant.
Recent Examples on the Web The first two would be submarines to be decommissioned from U.S. Navy service and third would be new. Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 26 May 2024 Like many British institutions, the BBC, which has been Doctor Who’s home since 1963, is currently struggling with funding cuts and has been decommissioning shows across the board. George Fallon, Vulture, 10 May 2024 This would enable the Pentagon to send military supplies directly to Taiwan as well as weapons that might otherwise be decommissioned. Michael A. Brown, Foreign Affairs, 25 Jan. 2023 That said, the immediate task is decommissioning the portable classrooms, which should begin in 2025, coinciding with the college’s 25th anniversary. Nicole Gregory, Orange County Register, 31 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for decommission 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'decommission.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1922, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of decommission was in 1922

Dictionary Entries Near decommission

Cite this Entry

“Decommission.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decommission. Accessed 19 Jun. 2024.

Kids Definition

decommission

verb
de·​com·​mis·​sion ˌdē-kə-ˈmish-ən How to pronounce decommission (audio)
: to remove (as a ship) from use or service

More from Merriam-Webster on decommission

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