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.
It was decommissioned 80 years ago because of safety concerns; its elegant curves were incompatible with newer, faster trains. Sameer Butt, New York Daily News, 4 Jan. 2026 The highway, decommissioned in 1985, will mark its 100th anniversary next year, and small towns and cities along the route are already planning festivities. Pam Leblanc, Southern Living, 3 Jan. 2026 The last battleship commissioned by the Navy was the Missouri, which was launched in 1944 and initially decommissioned in 1955; by then, the ship had been etched into history as the site of the Japanese surrender ceremony in 1945. Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2026 The old City Hall stop was designed as the flagship station of the city’s first subway line, but was decommissioned in 1945. Anthony Izaguirre, Fortune, 31 Dec. 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 12 Jan. 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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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