channelize

verb

chan·​nel·​ize ˈcha-nə-ˌlīz How to pronounce channelize (audio)
channelized; channelizing

transitive verb

1
2
3
: to straighten by means of a channel
channelize a stream
channelization noun

Examples of channelize in a Sentence

channelized all of his resources into winning that state's crucial primary
Recent Examples on the Web Yet California squandered much of the bounty from its recent unusually wet winter, as levees, channelized rivers and paved cities funneled much of the runoff into the ocean rather than capturing it. Erica Gies, Scientific American, 25 Oct. 2023 The Los Angeles River is channelized and swells with water during heavy rains. NBC News, 18 Aug. 2023 Settlers drained and channelized the vast California delta and beyond. Catrin Einhorn Max Whittaker, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2023 Once the world figures a way to address the inequality, then everyone can channelize their resources to fight other issues such as climate change and terrorism. Naveen Joshi, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2021 The India Crypto Relief Fund, set up in April this year, aims to channelize money from across the world towards India’s Covid-19 battle. Mimansa Verma, Quartz, 13 Oct. 2021 Here’s the oversimplified explanation of the problem: The river has been channelized, which prevents enough freshwater from reaching the marsh. Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 22 Apr. 2020 Like many urban American rivers, the Menomonee had been polluted, dammed and channelized over the last 200 years. Paul A. Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 18 Apr. 2020 The creek was channelized in the 1930s, using boulders, and the woody debris that fell naturally into the creek, creating the pools, was removed. Peter Fimrite, SFChronicle.com, 10 Dec. 2019 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'channelize.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1609, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of channelize was in 1609

Cite this Entry

“Channelize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/channelize. Accessed 4 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

channelize

verb
chan·​nel·​ize ˈchan-ᵊl-ˌīz How to pronounce channelize (audio)
channelized; channelizing
1
2
: to straighten by means of a channel
channelize a stream
channelization noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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