deplane

Meanings

1. 1verbintransitiveAmerican

   To get off an airplane after it has landed.

   Grammar: No object; used for passengers leaving the plane: passengers deplane.

   Patterns

   • deplane at something
   • begin to deplane

   Passengers will deplane through the front door.

   We waited for twenty minutes before we could deplane.

   Please remain seated until the captain allows you to deplane.

2. 2verbtransitivetechnical

   To unload people or goods from an airplane.

   Grammar: Takes an object, often in airline or cargo use: deplane the passengers.

   Patterns

   • deplane someone
   • deplane cargo

   The crew began to deplane the passengers from the delayed flight.

   Ground staff deplaned the wheelchair users first.

   Cargo workers deplaned the crates onto the cart.

Word forms

Common combinations

deplane first

Families with small children may deplane first.

begin to deplane

Passengers began to deplane as soon as the door opened.

deplane through the rear

Passengers deplaned through the rear door.

deplane on the tarmac

We deplaned on the tarmac and took a shuttle bus.

ready to deplane

We were ready to deplane but the gate was occupied.

Synonyms and how they differ

disembark

Disembark is more formal and works for ships, trains and planes, while deplane is only for aircraft.

get off

Get off is the plain everyday phrase and fits any vehicle.

alight

Alight is formal and mostly British, and is used more for buses and trains.

exit

Exit is general and can mean leaving any space, whereas deplane is specific to aircraft.

Opposites

Word family

deplaning noun

the process of leaving a plane

enplane verb

to get onto an airplane

plane noun

an aircraft with wings

deplaned adjective

describing passengers who have left the plane

Commonly confused: deplane or disembark? deplane or deplore?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “deplane”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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