deployment
noun
de·ploy·ment
di-ˈplȯi-mənt
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.
Cite this Entry
“Deployment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deployment. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.
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