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.
Disarming and decommissioning Hezbollah requires a very strong army to be able to go in and find weapons depots and arrest people. Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2026 Its four ships with that exclusive mission were decommissioned in September. Chris Boccia, ABC News, 19 Mar. 2026 Last year, the US Navy decommissioned its four dedicated minesweepers that were stationed in the Persian Gulf. Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 16 Mar. 2026 The 50-year-old Nimitz, which visited San Diego on Tuesday, had been scheduled to be decommissioned in Virginia in May. Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 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 21 Mar. 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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