deploy

D2E1P3L1O1Y4
/dɪˈplɔɪ/

verb

To prepare and arrange (originally military unit or units, i.e., to array troops) for use.

“deploy the airbag”

Similar
fieldroll out
OriginFrench déployer ← Old French desploiier ← Late Latin displicāre →
CommonScrabble 12
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Meanings

verbdeploy (third-person singular simple present deploys, present participle deploying, simple past and past participle deployed)

present singular third person deploys · participle present deploying · participle past deployed · past deployed

  1. ergativetransitiveTo prepare and arrange (originally military unit or units, i.e., to array troops) for use.

    deploy some lifeguards on the beach

    5 more examples

    "Deploy two units of infantry along the enemy's flank," the general ordered.

    Teachers can deploy a wide range of resources in their classrooms.

    The carriage, which was at full gallop, stopped suddenly; the guards deployed round, and Mademoiselle alighted. She advanced with the step of an empress, till she came beside the Queen, when, dropping on her knee, she kissed the hem of her robe, and then the royal hand.

    1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XXV, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume I, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 293

    EMR will deploy 18 of the 21 '360s' in daily service, operating them in 12-car formations at peak times.

    2019 October, Tony Miles, Philip Sherratt, “EMR kicks off new era”, in Modern Railways, page 53

    It is unlikely City will play that deep consistently going forward, but it was interesting to see such an attacking manager like Guardiola deploy a shape without a recognised striker, given his previous quotes about the formation.

    2025 September 21, Shamoon Hafez, “Guardiola gamble almost pays off as Liverpool cash in”, in BBC Sport

    Synonyms: field

  2. intransitivetransitiveTo unfold, open, or otherwise become ready for use.

    deploy the airbag

    3 more examples

    He waited tensely for his parachute to deploy.

    The airbag will deploy on collision.

    At first she thought she would be embarrassed that she had deployed her air bag, that the other expert skiers she was with, more than a dozen of them, would have a good laugh at her panicked overreaction.

    2012 December 26, John Branch, “Snow Fall: The Avalanche at Tunnel Creek”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 14 Nov 2013
  3. computingTo install, test and implement a computer system or application.

    The process for the deployment scenario includes: building a master installation of the operating system, creating its image and deploying the image onto a destination computer.

noundeploy (plural deploys)

plural deploys

  1. computingDeployment.

    Rolling back the bad deploy will usually solve the immediate production problem, but your team isn't done yet.

    2021, James Shore, Shane Warden, The Art of Agile Development, page 433
  2. datedgovernmentDeployment.

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo prepare and arrange (originally military unit or units, i.e., to array troops) for use.

Similar
field

More synonyms by meaning

verbto distribute systematically or strategically

Similar
roll out
Broader
spreaddistribute
Also see
put to useroll outstation

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latindis-“apart”
  2. Late Latindisplicāre“to unfold, display”
  3. Old Frenchdesploiier
  4. Frenchdéployer“to unroll, unfold”
  5. Englishdeploy

Borrowed from French déployer (“to unroll, unfold”), from Old French desploiier, itself from des- + ploiier, or possibly from Late Latin displicāre (“to unfold, display”), from Latin dis- (“apart”) + plicare (“to fold”). Compare Middle English desployen, dysployen (“to unfold, display”). Doublet of display.

More words from French, Old French, Late Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic عَبَّأَ, نَشَرَ
  • عَبَّأَ (ʕabbaʔa)to prepare and arrange (usually military unit or units) for use
  • نَشَرَ (našara)to prepare and arrange (usually military unit or units) for use
Bulgarian разгръщам, разгръщам се
  • разгръщам (razgrăštam)to prepare and arrange (usually military unit or units) for use
  • разгръщам се (razgrăštam se)to unfold, open, or otherwise become ready for use
Chinese Mandarin 部署
  • 部署 (bùshǔ)to prepare and arrange (usually military unit or units) for use
Czech nasadit
  • nasaditto prepare and arrange (usually military unit or units) for use
Dutch uitrollen
  • uitrollento install, test and implement a computer system or application
Finnish sijoittaa, lähettää
  • sijoittaato prepare and arrange (usually military unit or units) for use
  • lähettääto prepare and arrange (usually military unit or units) for use
  • laittaato prepare and arrange (usually military unit or units) for use
  • avautuato unfold, open, or otherwise become ready for use
  • valmistellato unfold, open, or otherwise become ready for use
  • ottaa käyttöönto install, test and implement a computer system or application
  • asentaato install, test and implement a computer system or application
German aufstellen, formieren
  • aufstellento prepare and arrange (usually military unit or units) for use
  • formierento prepare and arrange (usually military unit or units) for use
  • aufmarschieren lassento prepare and arrange (usually military unit or units) for use
  • stationierento prepare and arrange (usually military unit or units) for use
  • in Stellung bringento prepare and arrange (usually military unit or units) for use
  • öffnento unfold, open, or otherwise become ready for use
  • entfaltento unfold, open, or otherwise become ready for use
  • deployento install, test and implement a computer system or application
Hungarian bevet, hadrendbe állít
  • bevetto prepare and arrange (usually military unit or units) for use
  • hadrendbe állítto prepare and arrange (usually military unit or units) for use
  • telepítto prepare and arrange (usually military unit or units) for use
  • üzembe helyezto prepare and arrange (usually military unit or units) for use
  • alkalmazto prepare and arrange (usually military unit or units) for use
  • hasznosítto prepare and arrange (usually military unit or units) for use
  • igénybe veszto prepare and arrange (usually military unit or units) for use
  • kinyílikto unfold, open, or otherwise become ready for use
  • kioldódikto unfold, open, or otherwise become ready for use
  • működésbe lépto unfold, open, or otherwise become ready for use
  • telepítto install, test and implement a computer system or application
  • üzembe helyezto install, test and implement a computer system or application
Italian dispiegare, collocare
  • dispiegareto prepare and arrange (usually military unit or units) for use
  • collocareto prepare and arrange (usually military unit or units) for use
  • installareto install, test and implement a computer system or application
  • fornireto install, test and implement a computer system or application
Japanese 配置する, ひらく
  • 配置する (haichi suru)to prepare and arrange (usually military unit or units) for use
  • ひらくto unfold, open, or otherwise become ready for use
Korean 배치하다
  • 배치하다 (baechihada)to prepare and arrange (usually military unit or units) for use
Māori whakahora
  • whakahorato prepare and arrange (usually military unit or units) for use
Portuguese posicionar, disponibilizar
  • posicionarto prepare and arrange (usually military unit or units) for use
  • disponibilizarto unfold, open, or otherwise become ready for use
  • abrirto unfold, open, or otherwise become ready for use
  • lançarto install, test and implement a computer system or application
Romanian desfășura, desface
  • desfășurato prepare and arrange (usually military unit or units) for use
  • desfaceto unfold, open, or otherwise become ready for use
  • desfășurato unfold, open, or otherwise become ready for use
  • instalato install, test and implement a computer system or application
Russian развёртывать, разверну́ть
  • развёртывать (razvjórtyvatʹ)to prepare and arrange (usually military unit or units) for use
  • разверну́ть (razvernútʹ)to prepare and arrange (usually military unit or units) for use
  • размеща́ть (razmeščátʹ)to prepare and arrange (usually military unit or units) for use
  • размести́ть (razmestítʹ)to prepare and arrange (usually military unit or units) for use
  • раскрыва́ться (raskryvátʹsja)to unfold, open, or otherwise become ready for use
  • раскры́ться (raskrýtʹsja)to unfold, open, or otherwise become ready for use
  • устана́вливать (ustanávlivatʹ)to install, test and implement a computer system or application
  • установи́ть (ustanovítʹ)to install, test and implement a computer system or application
Spanish desplegar, desplegar
  • desplegarto prepare and arrange (usually military unit or units) for use
  • desplegarto unfold, open, or otherwise become ready for use
Swedish gruppera
  • grupperato prepare and arrange (usually military unit or units) for use
Turkish konuşlandırmak
  • konuşlandırmakto prepare and arrange (usually military unit or units) for use
Ukrainian розгорта́ти, розгорну́ти
  • розгорта́ти (rozhortáty)to prepare and arrange (usually military unit or units) for use
  • розгорну́ти (rozhornúty)to prepare and arrange (usually military unit or units) for use

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with deploy

enjoyjoyroyoetroyemployalloyoiHanoioyannoyChoikoisavoyconvoyhoypoibuoycoyfoyFitzroyployJOISavoie
All rhymes →

Anagrams

podley
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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