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

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

In the meeting, he asked his team: “How do we depressurize the app?”

From New York Times • Jan. 17, 2020

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

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir