catalyze

verb

cat·​a·​lyze ˈka-tə-ˌlīz 

catalyzed; catalyzing

transitive verb

1

: to bring about the catalysis of (a chemical reaction)

an enzyme that catalyzes the breakdown of the sugars

2

: bring about, inspire

… his vigorous efforts to catalyze us into activity …

—Harrison Brown

3

: to alter significantly by or as if by catalysis

… innovations in basic chemical theory that have catalyzed the field …

—Newsweek

catalyzer noun

Synonyms of catalyze

• create
• cause
• generate
• bring
• prompt
• produce
• do

Examples of catalyze in a Sentence

a reinstitution of the draft would catalyze protests around the country

Recent Examples on the Web

This process of tweaking genes to establish new traits is thought to have catalyzed evolutionary novelty in animals. — Jake Buehler, Quanta Magazine, 21 Sep. 2026

Harvey and Legora first entered the scene less than five years ago and have catalyzed the change. — Logan Brown, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2026

Higher borrowing costs for companies can catalyze a slowdown in hiring, said Nicole Bachaud, a labor economist at ZipRecruiter. — Alex Harring, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2026

The Alliance separately reported catalyzing $641 million in commitments from third parties and impact investors since 2019, up from nearly $611 million reported a year earlier. — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 14 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see catalysis

First Known Use

1890, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for catalyze

• advertise
• aggrandize
• alibis
• alkalies
• alkalis
• amortize
• amplifies
• analyse
• analyze
• anywise
• authorize
• butterflies

Kids Definition

catalyze

verb

cat·​a·​lyze ˈkat-ᵊl-ˌīz 

catalyzed; catalyzing

: to bring about or produce by chemical catalysis

Medical Definition

catalyze

transitive verb

cat·​a·​lyze

variants or British catalyse

ˈkat-ᵊl-ˌīz 

catalyzed or British catalysed; catalyzing or British catalysing

: to bring about the catalysis of (a chemical reaction)

catalyzer noun

or British catalyser