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Synonyms

decommission

American  
[dee-kuh-mish-uhn] / ˌdi kəˈmɪʃ ən /

verb (used with object)

  1. to remove or retire (a ship, airplane, etc.) from active service.

  2. to deactivate; shut down.

    to decommission a nuclear power plant.


decommission British  
/ ˌdiːkəˈmɪʃən /

verb

  1. (tr) to dismantle or remove from service (a nuclear reactor, weapon, ship, etc which is no longer required)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of decommission

First recorded in 1925–30; de- + commission

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In March, the High Representative for Gaza on the Board of Peace, Nickolay Mladenov, laid out a detailed plan for Palestinian armed groups to decommission their weapons, starting with rockets, explosives and assault rifles.

From BBC • May 7, 2026

Legacy sales declined 25% due to lower demand as the company continues to decommission its copper-based network, while Latin America sales rose 21%, due in part to favorable foreign-exchange effects.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026

Cembalest highlights research undertaken by JPMorgan that scrutinized the costs incurred to the German economy stemming from its decision to decommission its nuclear power plants after the Fukushima incident.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 9, 2026

Other sources of power in L.A.’s portfolio include hydrogen, natural gas, biomass, geothermal, nuclear and coal, which the city aims to decommission by the end of this year.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 6, 2025

In the middle of his row with Trump, he threatened to decommission the Dragon - but it wasn't long before he was rowing back.

From BBC • Jun. 6, 2025

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