popularize

verb

pop·​u·​lar·​ize ˈpä-pyə-lə-ˌrīz How to pronounce popularize (audio)
popularized; popularizing
Synonyms of popularizenext

intransitive verb

: to cater to popular taste

transitive verb

: to make popular: such as
a
: to cause to be liked or esteemed
a sitcom that popularized the phrase
b
: to present in generally understandable or interesting form
a popularized version of American history
popularization
ˌpä-pyə-lə-rə-ˈzā-shən How to pronounce popularize (audio)
noun
popularizer
ˈpä-pyə-lə-ˌrī-zər How to pronounce popularize (audio)
noun

Examples of popularize in a Sentence

a phrase that was popularized by its use in a hit TV show Dream analysis was popularized by Sigmund Freud. The book presents a popularized version of American history.
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.
They were first popularized in Georgian England as small tokens of affection, infatuation or mourning, and examples are scattered across major museums such as the Victoria & Albert Museum in London and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. — Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026 The search fund model — popularized at Stanford and Harvard — lets MBAs eventually own 20%–25% of a business, with institutional equity and no personal guarantee on the debt. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 Aug. 2026 While Sentient Jet, now part of Flexjet LLC, is credited with inventing the jet card in 1999, Marquis Jet Partners, which launched in 2001 using the NetJets fleet before NetJets bought it in 2010, is widely credited with popularizing the product. — Doug Gollan, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026 Meraki Wellness, Grand Cayman Hammam is one of the world’s oldest water therapies, with Roman and Byzantine bathhouse origins but popularized in Islamic cultures in the Middle East and North Africa. — Rana Good, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for popularize

Word History

Etymology

probably borrowed from French populariser "to present in a favorable light, make popular," from populaire popular + -iser -ize

First Known Use

1593, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of popularize was in 1593

Rhymes for popularize

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Browse Nearby Words

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popularize
popularly
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Cite this Entry

“Popularize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/popularize. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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