deployment

noun

de·​ploy·​ment di-ˈplȯi-mənt How to pronounce deployment (audio)
plural deployments
: the act or movement of deploying or the state of being deployed: such as
a
: placement or arrangement (as of military personnel or equipment) in position for a particular use or purpose
deployment of troops
deployment of a sales force
U.S. military assistance for hurricane relief efforts has delayed the deployment of additional forces to Afghanistan, the Pentagon said on Thursday.Reuters
… memories of the peace protests that in the 1980s greeted the deployment of nuclear-armed cruise missiles on Greenham Common in Berkshire.Tim Luckhurst
also : an instance of such placement (as in a battle zone) for a period of time
On breaks from his job as a guard at the prison Camp Bucca, Iraq … during his last deployment, in 2007, James would retreat to the camp's sand-swept outdoor court and try to perfect his shot. Kelli Anderson
b
: an instance of use that involves something opening and spreading out
a pilot's deployment of a parachute after ejecting from the cockpit
These components work together to fully deploy the air bag within 50 milliseconds of impact. After deployment, the air bag will deflate in approximately 100 milliseconds.Martin W. Stockel et al.

Examples of deployment in a Sentence

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.
Its compact design allows it to be airlifted or sling-loaded, enabling rapid deployment to forward or remote locations. Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2025 In 1962, the Soviet Union began the secret deployment of nuclear missiles to Cuba under the cover of reassuring diplomacy. Big Think, 20 Oct. 2025 In response, attorneys for the state of Oregon have said such deployments are a normal part of the federal police's responsibilities. Conrad Wilson, NPR, 20 Oct. 2025 To stay ahead, LangChain expanded its product lineup, including LangSmith, an observability, monitoring, evaluation, and deployment platform built specifically for LLM applications and agents. Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for deployment

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French déploiement, from déployer "to unfurl, spread out, deploy" + -ment -ment

First Known Use

1781, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of deployment was in 1781

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Deployment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deployment. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on deployment

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!