What does "deploy" mean?

1. (military/resources) to move soldiers or equipment into a position where they are ready for action. 2. (computing) to make a computer program or system ready for people to use. 3. (to open or unfold) to open up or unfold so that something can work. 4. (deployment) the act of moving things or people into position.

How do you use "deploy"?

Often used in the passive voice when referring to troops. Commonly used as a transitive verb with software or systems as the object.

deploy

v. · n.

US //dɪˈpɫɔɪ// UK //dɪplˈɔɪ// de·ploy

1 military/resources (v.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

to move soldiers or equipment into a position where they are ready for action.

to position military forces or resources strategically for a specific mission or operation.

Example

The government decided to deploy more police officers to the city centre during the festival.

Example

The peacekeeping force was deployed to the border region to monitor the ceasefire and prevent further escalations of violence.

Usage

Often used in the passive voice when referring to troops.
- withdraw
- retract
2 computing (v.)
C1 Advanced Technical Computing

to make a computer program or system ready for people to use.

to move a software application or update from a development environment to a live production environment.

Example

The team will deploy the new version of the app tonight while most users are asleep.

Example

After rigorous beta testing, the engineers finally deployed the security patch across the entire corporate network to mitigate the vulnerability.

Usage

Commonly used as a transitive verb with software or systems as the object.
- uninstall
- rollback

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3 to open or unfold (v.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

to open up or unfold so that something can work.

to move from a stowed or folded position into a functional, open state.

Example

The car's airbags are designed to deploy instantly if there is a crash.

Example

The satellite's solar panels failed to deploy correctly, leaving the craft with a critically low power supply shortly after it reached orbit.
- stow
- fold
4 deployment (n.)
C2 Proficiency Archaic

the act of moving things or people into position.

the action of bringing resources into effective action; a synonym for deployment.

Example

The general ordered a rapid deploy of the reserve units.

Example

In historical military texts, one might find 'deploy' used as a noun to describe the tactical arrangement of a battalion.

Teacher's tip

This noun form is very rare in modern English; speakers almost always use 'deployment' instead.
- deployment
- positioning

Origin

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.