as in to demilitarize
to release (someone or something) from military service
Both leaders agreed to demobilize their armies and sign the peace treaty. Ships returned to port to be demobilized.
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Recent Examples of demobilize
The British Royal Navy demobilized its warships, decreasing its number of sailors from 49,860 in 1712 to 13,475 just two years later.
—
Sean Kingsley, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 May 2024
The main contention with the legislation was a last-minute decision to remove a measure to allow troops to demobilize after 36 months.
—Mallory Moench, TIME, 11 Apr. 2024
Soldiers serving for more than 36 months were originally slated to be allowed to demobilize and return home, but the provision was removed from a draft law following an intervention by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and military commander Oleksandr Syrskyi, according to Ukrainian lawmakers.
—Christian Edwards, CNN, 11 Apr. 2024
Liu Jie, the garrison’s commander, said the militia would assist the army in duties such as providing jobs to demobilized veterans or recruiting soldiers for the military.
—Laura He, CNN, 20 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for demobilize 
Sean Kingsley, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 May 2024
The main contention with the legislation was a last-minute decision to remove a measure to allow troops to demobilize after 36 months.
—Mallory Moench, TIME, 11 Apr. 2024
Soldiers serving for more than 36 months were originally slated to be allowed to demobilize and return home, but the provision was removed from a draft law following an intervention by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and military commander Oleksandr Syrskyi, according to Ukrainian lawmakers.
—Christian Edwards, CNN, 11 Apr. 2024
Liu Jie, the garrison’s commander, said the militia would assist the army in duties such as providing jobs to demobilized veterans or recruiting soldiers for the military.
—Laura He, CNN, 20 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for demobilize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for demobilize
Verb
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That plan would allow Israel to formally annex much of the West Bank and reject the return of Palestinian refugees, in exchange for regional investment and promises of a rump Palestinian state that would be demilitarized and lack sovereignty in any meaningful sense.—
Raja Khalidi,
Foreign Affairs,
20 Jan. 2025
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Waltz also said the Trump administration will ensure Gaza is demilitarized and Hamas is destroyed.—
Barak Ravid,
Axios,
17 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Trump and Kim Jong Un may have fallen in love during the former president’s first term, but contrary to Trump’s claims, the North Koreans never agreed to and have not denuclearized.—
Joshua Keating,
Vox,
15 Jan. 2025
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Nonproliferation advocates hold that nuclear weapons should not spread anywhere, and in many cases argue that all countries that possess these weapons should denuclearize.—
Robert E. Kelly,
Foreign Affairs,
30 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Voinovich and Brennan took care to disarm political objections.—
Alec MacGillis,
ProPublica,
13 Jan. 2025
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Government Complicity: Local law enforcement disarmed Black residents, detained survivors in camps, and participated in arson and murder.—
Delano Massey,
Axios,
10 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near demobilize
Cite this Entry
“Demobilize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demobilize. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.
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