Words / B2

di-PLOY/dɪˈplɔɪ/

To deploy is to send troops or resources into position, or to use something effectively: deploy staff, deploy a new system. Send and use are everyday; deployment is the noun. In speech, send into use / put to work is enough. The word is military, technical, and official. Do not deploy a sandwich (that is put or serve), and do not use it as a fancy synonym of use in every essay.

Meaning

To send troops or resources into position for use; also to use something effectively.

Examples

• “The hospital deployed extra staff during the outbreak.”
• “The trust deployed extra nurses to A&E on Friday nights.”
• “They deployed the argument too early, and the committee had already moved on — the “use a tactic” sense.”

Good to know

Send resources into position, or use them effectively. Everyday: send / put to work. Noun: deployment. Official/military tone. Not a synonym of use for food or pencils.

New