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.
Milan’s San Siro Stadium—the city’s landmark sporting venue that opened a century ago this year (and which is set to be decommissioned after these Olympic Games)—was at overflow capacity. Nick Remsen, Vogue, 6 Feb. 2026 Also, when Camp Century was decommissioned around five years after Project Iceworm was scrapped, the Army left hazardous waste behind, such as up to 52,000 gallons of diesel and radioactive materials, residues from the small nuclear reactor that had powered the base. Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026 Sometimes tanks are sold on secondhand markets after they are decommissioned. Keenan Thompson, Freep.com, 31 Jan. 2026 This ship saw service in the Vietnam War and Operation Desert Storm and was decommissioned in 1994. Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 25 Jan. 2026 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 11 Feb. 2026.

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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