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to decommission

to decommission

22 6.5
To officially take a ship, factory, or machine out of use
  • verb
  • /ˌdiːkəˈmɪʃən/
  • Formal
translation icon : dar de baja
  • After decades of service, the government decided to decommission the aging submarine.
  • decommission plants
  • decommission nuclear facilities
  • decommissioned weapons

We celebrate decommissioning, you know, with almost as much gusto and fun as we celebrate something launching.

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Examples

  • Australia decommissioned it a day before the Sydney attack.

  • Six weeks ago, there was a breach at a decommissioned Russian plutonium facility.

  • In addition, the consumers were required to pay the cost of decommissioning the plant.

    Academic text (2000)
  • Area 51 will be fully decommissioned by the end of the week.

  • Over the past 40 years, considerable experience has been gained in decommissioning various types of nuclear facilities.

    Blog text (5)
  • The project working group decided to decommission the ColdFusion A-Z list for the start of the Fall 2016 semester.

    Academic text (2018)
  • In the next fifteen years, seventy nuclear plants will be decommissioned, requiring a cost of an estimated $20 billion.

    Academic text (2000)
  • The cost of rehabilitating old nuclear plants is prohibitive, and decommissioning a plant is very expensive.

    Blog text (8)
  • Approximately one year after the flood, Lincoln Elementary and Erik Ramstad Middle School were decommissioned and then destroyed.

    Academic text (2013)
  • For example, the artist Kester welds sculptures made from decommissioned weapons gathered in Maputo by a local charity.

    Academic text (2008)

Synonyms

to withdraw
vsto decommission
159 3.5

To take money or things out of a place where they are kept

is an official removal from active service rather than a general taking away
to retire
vsto decommission
28 2.8

Take something out of use when it is no longer needed

is an official withdrawal that can occur even without obsolescence
to deactivate
vsto decommission
  • Formal
21 4.3

To take a person or unit out of active service

is a formal permanent withdrawal from active use
to inactivate
vsto decommission
  • Formal
1 7.2

To officially take a person or unit out of military service

applies to objects or facilities rather than focusing on personnel

Antonyms

to commission
  • Formal
103 4.4

To ask someone officially to make something or to begin using something

How Operational

to operate
510 3.2
to commission
  • Formal
103 4.4
to maintain
225 3.1
to decommission
  • Formal
22 6.5
to withdraw
159 3.5
to scrap
30 3.7

Surface Forms

decommission infinitive
decommissioned past participle
decommissioning present participle
decommissions third person singular

Morphology

decommission = commission (transparent) = de + commission

With the service-related sense of 'commission', adding 'de-' straightforwardly gives the meaning of removing something from active service.

Etymology

Decommission comes from the parts de- meaning 'remove' and commission meaning 'to put into official service', as when a ship is 'commissioned' and begins duty. So, to decommission something is to officially take it out of service.