demobilize

D2E1M3O1B3I1L1I1Z10E1
UK/diːˈməʊbɪlaɪz/

verb

To release someone from military duty, especially after a war.

Similar
inactivatedemobilisedemob
Opposite
mobilize
OriginEnglish mobilize ← Latin dē- ← Proto-Italic *dē →
RareScrabble 24
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Meanings

verbdemobilize (third-person singular simple present demobilizes, present participle demobilizing, simple past and past participle demobilized)

present singular third person demobilizes · participle present demobilizing · participle past demobilized · past demobilized · alternative demobilise

  1. BritishEnglishOxfordUStransitiveTo release someone from military duty, especially after a war.
  2. BritishEnglishOxfordUStransitiveTo disband troops, or remove them from a war footing.

Synonyms & antonyms

verbrelease from military service or remove from the active list of military service

Similar
inactivatedemobilise
Opposite
mobilize
Broader
dischargemuster out

verbretire from military service

Similar
demobilisedemob
Opposite
mobilize
Broader
dischargemuster out
Also see
demobinactivate

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*de
  2. Proto-Indo-European*déh₁
  3. Proto-Italic*dē
  4. Latindē
  5. Latindē-
  6. Englishde-
  7. Englishmobilize
  8. Englishdemobilize

From de- + mobilize.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian демобилизирам, разпускам
  • демобилизирам (demobiliziram)to release someone from military duty
  • разпускам (razpuskam)to disband troops
Catalan desmobilitzar
  • desmobilitzarto release someone from military duty
Chinese Mandarin 復員 /复员
  • 復員 /复员 (fùyuán)to release someone from military duty
Danish demobilisere, demobilisere
  • demobilisereto release someone from military duty
  • demobilisereto disband troops
Finnish kotiuttaa, kotiuttaa
  • kotiuttaato release someone from military duty
  • kotiuttaato disband troops
French démobilier
  • démobilierto release someone from military duty
German demobilisieren, demobilisieren
  • demobilisierento release someone from military duty
  • demobilisierento disband troops
Italian smobilitare, smobilitare
  • smobilitareto release someone from military duty
  • smobilitareto disband troops
Norwegian Bokmål dimittere, dimittere
  • dimittereto release someone from military duty
  • dimittereto disband troops
Portuguese desmobilizar, desmobilizar
  • desmobilizarto release someone from military duty
  • desmobilizarto disband troops
Russian демобилизо́вывать, демобилизова́ть
  • демобилизо́вывать (demobilizóvyvatʹ)to release someone from military duty
  • демобилизова́ть (demobilizovátʹ)to release someone from military duty
  • распуска́ть (raspuskátʹ)to disband troops
  • распусти́ть (raspustítʹ)to disband troops
Slovak demobilizovať, demobilizovať
  • demobilizovaťto release someone from military duty
  • demobilizovaťto disband troops
Spanish desmovilizar, desmovilizar
  • desmovilizarto release someone from military duty
  • desmovilizarto disband troops
Swedish demobilisera
  • demobiliserato disband troops
Ukrainian демобілізува́ти
  • демобілізува́ти (demobilizuváty)to release someone from military duty
Vietnamese giải ngũ, xuất ngũ
  • giải ngũto release someone from military duty
  • xuất ngũto release someone from military duty
Cite this entry
APA

demobilize. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/demobilize

MLA

“demobilize.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/demobilize. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “demobilize,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/demobilize.

Source: demobilize on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.