ritualize

1 of 2

verb

rit·​u·​al·​ize ˈri-chə-wə-ˌlīz 

-chə-ˌlīz;

ˈrich-wə-

ritualized; ritualizing

intransitive verb

: to practice ritualism

transitive verb

1

: to make a ritual of

2

: to impose a ritual on

ritualization

ˌri-chə-wə-lə-ˈzā-shən 

-chə-lə-;

ˌrich-wə-

noun

ritualization

2 of 2

noun

rit·​u·​al·​iza·​tion

variants also British ritualisation

ˌrich(ə)wələ̇ˈzāshən, 

-chəl-, 

-ˌlīˈz-

plural -s

: the act of ritualizing : the condition of being ritualized

Examples of ritualize in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The violence is coordinated, Cant says, and almost ritualized. —Big Think, 8 May 2026

Maybe Miller realized that six seasons’ worth of red cloaks, white bonnets, and ritualized torture was more than enough. —Judy Berman, Time, 8 Apr. 2026

From familiar orchestral swells to ritualized envelope openings, Hollywood’s annual night at the Dolby is uniquely suited for nocturnal drifting. —Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 27 Feb. 2026

By the time Melania arrives at the Inaugural festivities, the film has given itself over to a series of rituals (the candlelight dinner, the Inaugural itself, the luncheon, the Starlight Ball), which feels weirdly fitting since the filmmaking itself is so ritualized. —James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 30 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1840, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense