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
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.
The original red light bulbs were decommissioned in the mid-2000s, because of high maintenance costs and aging infrastructure. Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 11 Sep. 2025 The royal transport made headlines earlier this summer when the 2024-25 Sovereign Grant report revealed that King Charles was decommissioning the Royal Train, which had been a favorite of the late Queen Elizabeth. Janine Henni, People.com, 10 Sep. 2025 The facility was decommissioned in 1984 when systems started getting computerized, but the Navy continued to allow people to live there due to housing shortages in the area. A.k. Whitney, Oc Register, 9 Sep. 2025 The power station was decommissioned in late 2024. Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for decommission

Word History

First Known Use

1922, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of decommission was in 1922

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Decommission.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decommission. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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