crystallize
verb
crys·tal·lize
ˈkri-stə-ˌlīz 
variants
or less commonly crystalize
crystallized; crystallizing
1
: to cause to form crystals or assume crystalline form
2
: to cause to take a definite form
tried to crystallize his thoughts
3
: to coat with crystals especially of sugar
crystallize grapes
: to become crystallized
crystallizer
noun
Examples of crystallize in a Sentence
Eventually the paint will start to crystallize.
Certain conditions can cause carbon to crystallize into diamonds.
Certain conditions can crystallize carbon into diamonds.
The final paragraph of the essay crystallizes her theory.
He tried to crystallize his thoughts.
Her theory crystallizes in the final paragraph of the essay.
Recent Examples on the Web
With all of those movements, when the central issue was really crystallized as a choice between what is clearly right and just, and what is clearly unjust and wrong and deadly and dangerous, then the outcome becomes foreordained.
—
Cara Buckley, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2024
The play-in scenarios have crystallized, and Golden State needs both a victory and losses by both the Lakers and Kings to move up to eighth place.
—Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2024
The dispute crystallized last week when about 100 Wonderful Nurseries workers left work and traveled 60 miles north to the labor board’s Visalia office.
—Rebecca Plevin, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024
Now, in what was supposed to be an off-election year for Allen, that fervent debate over his future has crystallized the split among Democrats over liberal criminal justice policies Allen had championed, as the city seeks to reverse a spike in violent crime.
—Meagan Flynn, Washington Post, 18 Feb. 2024
Phil Plait Chelsea Harvey & E&E News May the (Tidal) Force Be with You
That revolutionary idea began to crystallize in the mid-1990s when NASA’s Galileo probe flew by Europa and recorded a strong magnetic signal emanating from that moon.
—Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 7 Feb. 2024
In Council Chairman Phil Mendelson’s mind, that’s when D.C.’s opportunity crystallized.
—Jonathan O'Connell, Washington Post, 30 Mar. 2024
Go your own way The pandemic crystallized things for Kim Kelly Stamp, 65, and her wife Liz Schick, 62, who left it all behind and decided to travel around the country in a red 21-foot teardrop trailer.
—Stacey Lastoe, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Mar. 2024
In one evening, barely an hour apart, Mayor Eric Adams was confronted with two tragic events that crystallized some people’s persistent fears about New York City.
—Dana Rubinstein, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2024
Cara Buckley, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2024
The play-in scenarios have crystallized, and Golden State needs both a victory and losses by both the Lakers and Kings to move up to eighth place.
—Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2024
The dispute crystallized last week when about 100 Wonderful Nurseries workers left work and traveled 60 miles north to the labor board’s Visalia office.
—Rebecca Plevin, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024
Now, in what was supposed to be an off-election year for Allen, that fervent debate over his future has crystallized the split among Democrats over liberal criminal justice policies Allen had championed, as the city seeks to reverse a spike in violent crime.
—Meagan Flynn, Washington Post, 18 Feb. 2024
Phil Plait Chelsea Harvey & E&E News May the (Tidal) Force Be with You
That revolutionary idea began to crystallize in the mid-1990s when NASA’s Galileo probe flew by Europa and recorded a strong magnetic signal emanating from that moon.
—Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 7 Feb. 2024
In Council Chairman Phil Mendelson’s mind, that’s when D.C.’s opportunity crystallized.
—Jonathan O'Connell, Washington Post, 30 Mar. 2024
Go your own way The pandemic crystallized things for Kim Kelly Stamp, 65, and her wife Liz Schick, 62, who left it all behind and decided to travel around the country in a red 21-foot teardrop trailer.
—Stacey Lastoe, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Mar. 2024
In one evening, barely an hour apart, Mayor Eric Adams was confronted with two tragic events that crystallized some people’s persistent fears about New York City.
—Dana Rubinstein, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'crystallize.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near crystallize
Cite this Entry
“Crystallize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crystallize. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
crystallize
verb
crys·tal·lize
ˈkris-tə-ˌlīz
crystallized; crystallizing
1
a
: to cause to form crystals or assume crystalline form
b
: to become crystallized
2
: to take or cause to take definite form
the plan crystallized slowly
Medical Definition
crystallize
verb
crys·tal·lize
variants
also crystalize
also British crystallise
or crystalise
crystallized also crystallized also British crystallised or crystallised; crystallizing also crystallizing also British crystallising or crystallising
: to cause to form crystals or assume crystalline form
especially
: to cause to form perfect or large crystals
: to become crystallized
—often used with out
the solid crystallized out
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