depressurize

American  

[dee-presh-uh-rahyz] / diˈprɛʃ əˌraɪz /

especially British, depressurise

verb (used with object)

depressurized, depressurizing

1. to remove the air pressure from (a pressurized compartment of an aircraft or spacecraft).

2. to relieve the tensions of; cause to relax.

   A week's vacation should depressurize me.

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verb (used without object)

depressurized, depressurizing

1. to lose air pressure.

   The airplane cabin depressurized almost instantly.

depressurize British  

/ dɪˈprɛʃəˌraɪz /

verb

1. (tr) to reduce the pressure of a gas inside (a container or enclosed space), as in an aircraft cabin

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Other Word Forms

• depressurization noun
• depressurizer noun

Etymology

Origin of depressurize

First recorded in 1940–45; de- + pressurize

Explanation

To depressurize is to let up on the force of something, especially a liquid or a gas. An astronaut must make sure that her protective spacesuit doesn't depressurize when she's performing a space walk. Depressurize means to slow or completely stop some kind of pressure, and this verb is almost always used to describe a halt in the flow of air, oxygen, or a liquid of some kind. In movies, when a plane or spacecraft depressurizes, there's a sudden, dangerous drop in breathable air. On a commercial airplane, individual oxygen masks are available in case of such an event. The Latin root of depressurize means "to press."

Example Sentences

The refrigerator-sized hole in the aircraft caused the cabin to rapidly depressurize.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 11, 2024

Under the court order, CalGEM entered the site to depressurize the wells to protect the community near USC.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 18, 2023

I have resorted to teaching strategies like “ungrading” and open-ended final projects in order to depressurize the classroom and allow my students to relax and enjoy learning.

From Slate • Feb. 15, 2022

Since the Dragon capsule doesn’t have an airlock, the crew would have to put on pressurized spacesuits and slowly depressurize the cabin before opening the hatch at the top of the capsule.

From Washington Post • Feb. 14, 2022

It's a complicated process, but it detaches the bedroom without having to depressurize the rover cabin.

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir