alphabetize

verb

al·​pha·​bet·​ize ˈal-fə-bə-ˌtīz How to pronounce alphabetize (audio)
alphabetized; alphabetizing

transitive verb

1
: to arrange alphabetically
2
: to furnish with an alphabet
alphabetizer noun

Examples of alphabetize in a Sentence

alphabetize the words on the list
Recent Examples on the Web Though Fubo doesn't alphabetize its channels, the platform earns points for keeping your 'favorited' channels at the top of the guide. Kaitlin Marks, EW.com, 31 Aug. 2022 On a particularly frustrating day, when everyone’s technology needed rebooting and her third-graders struggled to alphabetize a list of words, Ms. A could push and encourage her in-person students. Washington Post, 10 July 2021 Ahead of the election, workers can make sure the certificate envelope has all the necessary signatures, sort the ballots into 325 wards and alphabetize them. Alison Dirr, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2020 Another site, called Candor, keeps a crowdsourced, alphabetized tally of companies that shows who's hiring and who's got a freeze on—for now. Anne Fisher, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2020 All the books are shelved, alphabetized and categorized or put in milk crates for cleaning and wrapping. Max Bell, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2020 Dozens of file cabinets brimmed with decades-old newspaper clippings, photographs, and scorecards—in some cases alphabetized by players’ last names, in others by year. Jonathan Blitzer, The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2020 Many of the other suggestions in the review are grammatical or related to the format of the measure, such as alphabetizing certain sections. Ryan Randazzo, azcentral, 9 Sep. 2019 That has to be more rewarding than alphabetizing one’s own shelves filled with other people’s books, one more time. Laura Vanderkam, WSJ, 12 Mar. 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'alphabetize.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1691, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of alphabetize was in 1691

Dictionary Entries Near alphabetize

Cite this Entry

“Alphabetize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alphabetize. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

alphabetize

verb
al·​pha·​bet·​ize ˈal-fə-bə-ˌtīz How to pronounce alphabetize (audio)
alphabetized; alphabetizing
: to arrange in alphabetical order
alphabetization
ˌal-fə-ˌbet-ə-ˈzā-shən
noun
alphabetizer noun

More from Merriam-Webster on alphabetize

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!