deployment

American  

[dih-ploi-muhnt] / dɪˈplɔɪ mənt /

noun

1. the act of moving something or someone into a strategic position or a position of readiness, or the condition of being in such a position.

   Delays in the deployment of armored vehicles and body armor can cost lives on the front lines.

   Our team is highly experienced in the design, development, and deployment of customized IT solutions for healthcare facilities.

2. the state of being assigned for duty away from home, especially for military purposes.

   Encouragement and support are essential to help returning veterans handle the long-term impacts of deployment and reintegration into a nonmilitary daily routine.

   Community health workers on deployment are assisting in disaster recovery.

3. a period of time during which a person or group is assigned for duty away from home, especially for military purposes.

   She is a helicopter pilot on her second deployment to Afghanistan.

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Other Word Forms

• counterdeployment
  noun

Etymology

Origin of deployment

First recorded in 1775–85; deploy ( def. ) + -ment ( def. )

Explanation

Deployment is a word, often used by the military, for sending troops into duty. A soldier could be part of a deployment to the Middle East. Deployment refers to assigning people to serve in various locations, especially soldiers and other military personnel. A deployment may include soldiers, as well as equipment and generals. Deployments might be part of a war or a peaceful mission. Also, non-military organizations use this word too: they might speak of a deployment of workers to a new office. When you see the word deployment, you know people are being sent somewhere for a specific mission.

Example Sentences

Like Krishna, Lavu said the successful deployment of such AI applications demands a careful recalibration of business processes across the firm.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026

It also wants support for fertility control research and deployment, and protection and enforcement of red squirrel habitat.

From BBC • May 2, 2026

The private-markets firm—which ended the period with about $306.2 billion in managed assets—said Friday that capital deployment nearly doubled during the latest quarter, coming in at $14.4 billion.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

May Day, which celebrates workers and the working classes, sees a major police deployment in Turkey every year, with a large area in the heart of Istanbul around Taksim Square sealed off.

From Barron's • May 1, 2026

Oppenheimer was uncomfortable with the entire discussion, for he considered the question of the bomb’s deployment to be outside the scientists’ expertise.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Related Words

• distribution
• formation