decouple

verb

de·​cou·​ple (ˌ)dē-ˈkə-pəl How to pronounce decouple (audio)
decoupled; decoupling; decouples
Synonyms of decouplenext

transitive verb

: to eliminate the interrelationship of : separate

Synonyms

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of decouple in a Sentence

to have a fruitful discussion, we need to decouple fact from opinion
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.
This decoupled, nü-Resistance feels far more angry, oppositional, and ideologically chaotic. — Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2025 For example, the inside and outside of a black hole are decoupled by a boundary called the event horizon. — Lyndie Chiou, Quanta Magazine, 24 Feb. 2025 However, projections show that a circular economy model, where waste generation and economic growth are decoupled by adopting waste avoidance, sustainable business practices, and full waste management, could in fact lead to a full net gain of USD 108.5 billion per year. — Rob Day, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025 The United States will request certain actions from its partners: likely further decoupling from Chinese supply chains and stricter labor and environmental protections. — Geoffrey Gertz, Foreign Affairs, 6 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for decouple

Word History

First Known Use

1938, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of decouple was in 1938

Rhymes for decouple

See All Rhymes for decouple

Browse Nearby Words

decouple
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Decouple.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decouple. Accessed 17 Mar. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Words You Always Have to Look Up
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

13 Unusually Long English Words

9 Superb Owl Words

More Words with Remarkable Origins

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments
See More

Popular Features

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

13 Unusually Long English Words

9 Superb Owl Words
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
number-twelve-balloon
12-Letter Words Quiz A dozen words, a dozen letters each.
See All