as in manifestation
a visible representation of something abstract (as a quality)
bizarre paintings that are the externalization of a very troubled psyche
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Recent Examples of externalization
The trade-off for that short-term satisfaction is the externalization of a thinking process that used to live inside a junior associate’s head.
—
Jeff Raikes, Fortune, 15 Apr. 2026
The cumulative effect could be the gradual externalization of state capacity.
—Andrew Leahey, Forbes.com, 19 Mar. 2026
Virtuoso delivers accurate externalization and localization of sound, ensuring mix decisions translate well to loudspeakers.
—Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024
But this depiction of public shaming feels like a paranoid fantasy, an externalization of May’s guilt, rather than a believable development.
—Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2024
Interludes in which the accusing faces of prisoners silently fill the frame act as a sort of externalization of his survivor’s guilt.
—Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2024
Jeff Raikes, Fortune, 15 Apr. 2026
The cumulative effect could be the gradual externalization of state capacity.
—Andrew Leahey, Forbes.com, 19 Mar. 2026
Virtuoso delivers accurate externalization and localization of sound, ensuring mix decisions translate well to loudspeakers.
—Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024
But this depiction of public shaming feels like a paranoid fantasy, an externalization of May’s guilt, rather than a believable development.
—Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2024
Interludes in which the accusing faces of prisoners silently fill the frame act as a sort of externalization of his survivor’s guilt.
—Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for externalization
Noun
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Tontey’s Karamoy becomes literally larger than life, with three breasts and exaggerated muscles, a physical manifestation of her will toward self-determination.—
Harrison Jacobs,
ARTnews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
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Still, some observers see the magnitude of the problem as another manifestation of a broader affordability crisis.—
Andrea Riquier,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Alpencamper View gallery - 13 images Most bicycle campers just tow, but there are some that flip, that drop, that pitch and that straight blow up.—
C.C. Weiss
May 01,
New Atlas,
1 May 2026
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However, the image of the Indigenous man is still featured around the campus, including in a large mural in the gym.—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Externalization.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/externalization. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
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