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.
How Sustainability Initiatives Are Transforming BPO Global ESG (environmental, social and governance) initiatives and consumer expectations have placed businesses under both practical and public pressure to decarbonize. Vidya Plainfield, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025 There is an urgent need for India to decarbonize its power sector. Amala Balakrishner, CNBC, 27 Mar. 2025 With growing pressure to decarbonize heavy industries and transportation, green hydrogen, which is produced via electrolysis powered by renewables, has gained traction among both governments and private investors. Cathy Hackl, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025 The power sector remains the second-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the US, and there will be no way to add enough intermittent clean energy to sufficiently decarbonize the grid without cheap and plentiful storage. Umair Irfan, Wired News, 26 Apr. 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 2 Jun. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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