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Definition of declassify

declassify

/diːˈklæs.ɪ.faɪ/
de · clas · si · fy
Adjective:declassified
•
Past Simple:declassified
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Past Participle:declassified
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Present Participle:declassifying
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declassify Lexical Profile

declassify Game Scores & Validity

• verb

1

To officially declare that a document or piece of information is no longer secret or confidential, thereby making it accessible to the public.

Example

"The national archives voted to declassify thousands of diplomatic cables from the 1970s for historical research."

2

To remove from an assigned category, official ranking, or formal classification.

Example

"Following the regulatory review, the agency moved to declassify several low-risk compounds so laboratories could purchase them more easily."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for declassify

• Nearby Words

declare
declarer
declassification
declassify
declaw
decline
decliner

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in the mid-20th century by combining the Latinate privative prefix 'de-' (indicating reversal or removal) with the verb 'classify', emerging into widespread official use during World War II to describe the release of state secrets.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Declassify. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/declassify
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