commodify

verb

com·​mod·​i·​fy kə-ˈmä-də-ˌfī How to pronounce commodify (audio)
commodified; commodifying

transitive verb

: to turn (something, such as an intrinsic value or a work of art) into a commodity
attempts to commodify the water supply
commodification noun

Examples of commodify in a Sentence

Do we really want to commodify our water supply? I feel like our culture is being commodified.
Recent Examples on the Web But the pursuit of online fame, particularly through Instagram, has supercharged the often toxic phenomenon, The Times found, encouraging parents to commodify their children’s images. Michael H. Keller, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2024 The play isn’t subtle in presenting its allegory of national racial dysfunction—the white family’s self-absorption in the face of Black suffering, and their swift move to commodify it—but Jacobs-Jenkins’s dramatic machinery is often immensely effective. Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 20 Dec. 2023 The five young women in the group must navigate the dark side of a glamorous industry determined to commodify them. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 Feb. 2023 Candyman is the most disappointing film of the year so far, limning not only the artistic failures of the individuals who ushered it to life, but the artistic failures of an entire industry that seeks to commodify Blackness to embolden its bottom line. Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 25 Aug. 2021 There was no obvious way to commodify Paik’s art. Hua Hsu, The New Yorker, 29 Mar. 2023 Moor Mother – Jazz Codes Best known for industrial beats and confrontational spoken word, Moor Mother’s music often recalls the book the Situationists published with covers made of sandpaper – the more abrasive, the harder to commodify. Spin Staff, SPIN, 26 Dec. 2022 Trixie’s ability to commodify and plan is evident in her own brand. Olivia McCormack, Washington Post, 24 June 2022 That competition is intensified for female actresses, who not only commodify their personas but also their bodies. Lauren Puckett-Pope, ELLE, 4 June 2022

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

Word History

Etymology

see commodity

First Known Use

1976, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of commodify was in 1976

Dictionary Entries Near commodify

Cite this Entry

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

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