Meanings
- informalrareuncountablecomputingThe reversal of indentation, moving the text cursor back out from its indented position.
Again, as with every code subblock, indentation (and dedentation) are used to delimit blocks of code as well as to indicate which block of code statements belong to […]
2006, Wesley Chun, Core Python Programming1 more example
A new code block is recognized when the amount of indentation has increased, and its termination is signaled by a "dedentation," or a reduction of indentation matching a previous level's.
2011, Understanding FOSS Version 3.0i revisedSynonyms: outdentation, unindentation
Synonyms & antonyms
nounThe reversal of indentation, moving the text cursor back out from its indented position.
Origin
Blend of de- + indentation.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
dedentation. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dedentation
“dedentation.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dedentation. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “dedentation,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dedentation.
Source: dedentation on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.