decarbonize

verb

de·​car·​bon·​ize (ˌ)dē-ˈkär-bə-ˌnīz How to pronounce decarbonize (audio)
decarbonized; decarbonizing; decarbonizes

transitive verb

1
: to remove carbon from (something)
It's usually not necessary to dismantle the engine to decarbonize it anymore.Allen D. Berrien
2
: to reduce the levels of carbon emissions (such as carbon dioxide) caused by or involved in (something, such as a facility, process, or organization)
… we must decarbonize the energy supply by developing forms of power that emit less greenhouse gas or none at all.Daniel Ben-Ami
[Steve] Cohen is confident that we will be able to decarbonize our economy in time to avoid catastrophic climate impacts.Renee Cho

intransitive verb

: to reduce the production of carbon emissions
Certainly, people at Airbus say they need to decarbonize, and research on battery technology for electric planes has been disappointing.Ned Potter
decarbonizer noun

Examples of decarbonize in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Read more here Hot Topic Gaurav Sant, director of UCLA’s Institute for Carbon Management, on decarbonization challenges What does the dramatic shift in U.S. policy away from clean energy and climate concerns at the federal level mean for the push to decarbonize energy and industries? Alan Ohnsman, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025 Joining other efforts to decarbonize the steel-production process such as those using hydrogen to refine iron ore, Boston Metal has pioneered a process known as molten oxide electrolysis (MOE). Michael Franco, New Atlas, 13 Mar. 2025 EVs have been a bright spot for U.S. efforts to decarbonize the economy, with sales and manufacturing investments on track to meet the national goals to cut emissions in the transportation sector. William Lambers, Newsweek, 8 Mar. 2025 Meeting state targets to decarbonize transportation will require more work, say experts, but carbon-free trucking can improve the health of Californians for generations to come. Ari Plachta, Sacramento Bee, 28 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for decarbonize

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1821, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of decarbonize was in 1821

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Cite this Entry

“Decarbonize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decarbonize. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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