| Acronym | Definition |
|---|
| DESS | Day the Earth Stood Still (film) |
| DESS | Diplôme d'Etudes Supérieures Spécialisées (French: Diploma of Specialized Higher Studies; various locations) |
| DESS | Doha English Speaking School (Doha, Qatar) |
| DESS | Dr. Ebbetts Sound Systems (record label) |
| DESS | Digitally Encoded Security System (Honda) |
| DESS | Dubai English Speaking School (United Arab Emirates) |
| DESS | Department of Employment and Social Services (California) |
| DESS | Double Echo Steady State (magnetic resonance imaging) |
| DESS | Distributed Energy Storage System |
| DESS | Diana Edwards Show Services (Canada) |
| DESS | Delaware Education Support System (resource) |
| DESS | Discontinuation Emergent Signs and Symptoms (anti-depressant cessation) |
| DESS | District Energy Sharing System (Canada) |
| DESS | Delay Efficient Sleep Scheduling (wireless sensor networks) |
| DESS | Dayton Engineering Sciences Symposium (annual) |
| DESS | Diplôme d'Études Secondaires Supérieures |
| DESS | Dedicated End Station Switching |
| DESS | Drug Education Support Service (Australia) |
| DESS | Distribution Environment Support System (USTRANSCOM) |
| DESS | Data Element Standardization System |
| DESS | Distribution Engineering Simulation Software (utilities) |
| DESS | Destroyer Schoolship |
| DESS | Domestic & External Security Secretariat |
| DESS | Dual Echo Steady State sequence |
| DESS | Disaster & Emergency Simulated Solutions (Botany, NSW, Australia) |