emblematize

verb

em·​blem·​a·​tize em-ˈble-mə-ˌtīz How to pronounce emblematize (audio)
emblematized; emblematizing

transitive verb

: to represent by or as if by an emblem : symbolize

Examples of emblematize in a Sentence

the burned-out church emblematizes how the religious strife has destroyed that nation
Recent Examples on the Web Since her story first graced the big screen in 1926, the folk heroine has, under different interpretations over the course of a century, come to variously emblematize filial piety, patriotism, feminism and, perhaps inadvertently, cultural commodification. Martin Tsai, Washington Post, 4 Sep. 2020 The incident, caught on video by a bystander and quickly amplified on social media, came to emblematize a painful but familiar story in San Francisco. Rachel Swan, San Francisco Chronicle, 17 Feb. 2023 Both Mulligan and Kazan are credible but can’t quite shake the film’s attempt to emblematize the journalists as icons. Peter Rainer, The Christian Science Monitor, 17 Nov. 2022 The trolley question is meant to emblematize tough decision-making for the purpose of moral deliberation; programming morality into our vehicles is a matter of deeper, almost mystical complexity. Betsy Morais, Longreads, 13 June 2018 The guests began to introduce themselves and deliver their tales of woe, each one seemingly handpicked to emblematize a different failure of the ACA. Katy Waldman, Slate Magazine, 14 Mar. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'emblematize.' 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

emblemat(ic) + -ize

First Known Use

1615, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of emblematize was in 1615

Dictionary Entries Near emblematize

Cite this Entry

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

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