defund

[ dee-fuhnd ]

verb (used with object)

1. to withdraw financial support from, especially as an instrument of legislative control:

   Many university programs were defunded by the recent government cutbacks.

2. to deplete the financial resources of:

   The cost of the lawsuit defunded the company's operating budget.

Word History and Origins

Origin of defund¹

de- + fund

Example Sentences

The statewide group that advises officials on racial profiling in law enforcement have joined activists’ calls to defund the police.

From Voice of San Diego

Now, with increasing activist calls, there is even greater pressure to dismantle and defund the police.

From Ozy

For instance, he does not want to defund the police, and he prefers a public option to a single-payer health care system.

From FiveThirtyEight

San Diego Unified’s board of trustees has made no indication it will move to defund police.

From Voice of San Diego

Faced with a national movement calling to defund police, California’s Legislature has decided to defund schools instead.

From Voice of San Diego

A companion bill slated for a vote to defund DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) was shelved.

From The Daily Beast

Despite a threatened amendment to defund Obamacare from Ted Cruz, the Senate overwhelmingly approved the omnibus budget Thursday.

From The Daily Beast

“You know, they pushed us into this fight to defund Obamacare and shut down the government,” he said.

From The Daily Beast

A group of senators sought to defund the Vietnam War, but that group was bipartisan.

From The Daily Beast

Other Republicans were more optimstic that they could defund Obamacare.

From The Daily Beast