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uninstall

American  
[uhn-in-stawl] / ˌʌn ɪnˈstɔl /
Or uninstal

verb (used with object)

Digital Technology.
  • uninstalls,
    present (3rd person singular)
  • uninstalled,
    past participle,  past
  • uninstalling
    present participle
  1. to remove (a software program) from a computer or computer system.


uninstall British  
/ ˈʌnɪnˌstɔːl /

verb

  1. computing to remove (a program)

"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

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of uninstall

First recorded in 1980–85; un- 2 ( def. ) + install ( def. )

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.

See Examples For:

It advised users to uninstall the software or update to its latest version.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 8, 2026

He suggests that the smoke alarm industry has a responsibility to reduce nuisance alarms, which sometimes cause people to deactivate or uninstall the devices – a huge safety risk.

From BBC Jan. 15, 2026

Google warned users Tuesday to uninstall any Pinduoduo app not downloaded from its own Play Store.

From Seattle Times Mar. 21, 2023

The document doesn’t give any examples of why you’d need to uninstall one of the patches, leaving your phone open to the vulnerability it protects against.

From The Verge Sep. 12, 2022

When you uninstall, you want to be sure all the associated files are deleted.

From Debian GNU/Linux : Guide to Installation and Usage by John Goerzen

Around the same time, U.S. app uninstalls for ChatGPT jumped 295%, which Sensor Tower linked to backlash over OpenAI’s deal with the Defense Department.

From The Wall Street Journal May 13, 2026

Day-over-day uninstalls of the company's Chat GPT mobile app reportedly surged to 295% on Saturday, compared to a typical 9%.

From BBC Mar. 3, 2026

Every time they get into a fight, she uninstalls the apps.

From New York Times Sep. 24, 2016

Disrespect — who reportedly caught heat for livestreaming inside a bathroom while attending video game showcase E3 in 2019 — previously uninstalled multiple “Call of Duty” games in late 2022.

From Los Angeles Times Jun. 13, 2023

I uninstalled the program using a Malwarebytes download to uninstall.

From Seattle Times May 28, 2022

At one point, I uninstalled something that was apparently essential using the jailbreaking tool Cydia and was completely unable to restore the iPod back to working condition.

From The Verge May 14, 2022

"I feel bad, I do," lamented Martinez of Robin's uninstalled star.

From Los Angeles Times May 23, 2019

You can stop and start it with Ctrl-s and Ctrl-q, respectively, and at the end of the run, you will get a list of any uninstalled packages.

From Debian GNU/Linux : Guide to Installation and Usage by John Goerzen

“If you’re still experiencing issues we recommend uninstalling and reinstalling the app,” the account posted.

From The Wall Street Journal Dec. 30, 2025

From identifying affected IT systems to decrypting servers, uninstalling non-functional applications, blocking connections, disabling accounts, and restoring uninfected backups, each step can create bottlenecks.

From BBC Feb. 22, 2024

As prominent streamers voiced their support for Nickmercs, some of “Call of Duty’s” millions of global players seemingly began uninstalling various installments of the popular franchise from their consoles.

From Los Angeles Times Jun. 13, 2023

Google was ordered by India on Thursday not to restrict smartphone users from uninstalling its pre-installed apps like Google Maps and Gmail.

From Reuters Oct. 20, 2022

At the end, he declares that he has found the solution to uninstalling the software.

From Washington Post Jun. 23, 2021

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