commercialize

verb

com·​mer·​cial·​ize kə-ˈmər-shə-ˌlīz 

commercialized; commercializing

transitive verb

1

a

: to manage on a business basis for profit

b

: to develop commerce in

2

: to exploit for profit

commercialize Christmas

3

: to debase in quality for more profit

commercialization

kə-ˌmər-sh(ə-)lə-ˈzā-shən 

noun

Examples of commercialize in a Sentence

The company hopes to commercialize the drug next year.

Recent Examples on the Web

Much of this work has been achieved using the Large Helical Device (LHD) approach, which Helical Fusion plans to commercialize through a Helical Stellarator design. — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 7 July 2026

White minstrel musicians would either commercialize Black culture (a pattern that persists in popular music) or else perform exaggerated stereotypes of it. — David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 2 July 2026

Apple will have to navigate significant supply chain and intellectual property hurdles to commercialize them. — Paul Monckton, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026

But this year, ahead of the World Cup, Dillane designed a jersey with Complex and Bank of America, a sign of just how commercialized the soccer jersey phenomenon has become. — Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 28 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1830, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for commercialize

• actualize
• antagonize
• apologise
• apologize
• capitalize
• categorize
• characterize
• conceptualize
• contrariwise
• criminalize
• decentralize
• democratize

Kids Definition

commercialize

verb

com·​mer·​cial·​ize kə-ˈmər-shə-ˌlīz 

commercialized; commercializing

1

: to manage for the sake of making a profit

2

: to use for profit

commercialize Christmas

commercialization

-ˌmər-shə-lə-ˈzā-shən 

noun