codify
verb
cod·i·fy
ˈkä-də-ˌfī 
ˈkō-
codified; codifying
1
: to reduce to a code
The convention codified the rules of war.
2
a
: systematize
Standardization refers to the process by which a language has been codified in some way.—
Ronald Wardhaugh
Ronald Wardhaugh
b
: classify
Customer complaints are codified as dissatisfaction feedback.
Did you know?
A code is a collection of laws arranged in an orderly way; famous examples include the Code of Hammurabi, from about 1760 B.C. in ancient Babylon, and the Napoleonic Code, produced at Napoleon's orders in 1804. Laws that have been included in a code have been codified. The rules of baseball differed greatly from one place to another until they were codified by Alexander Cartwright in 1845; they haven't changed much since, though we don't know what Cartwright would say about the designated hitter.
Examples of codify in a Sentence
The convention codified the rules of war.
The author tries to codify important ideas about language.
Recent Examples on the Web
This would build on a system of lending to banks that the FDIC successfully used during the 2008 financial crisis, codified into law as part of Dodd-Frank.
—Aaron Klein, The Atlantic, 2 Jan. 2026
The new law effectively codifies that change, requiring Hegseth to prohibit individuals from China, Russia, Iran and North Korea from having direct or indirect access to Defense Department cloud computing systems.
—Renee Dudley, ProPublica, 31 Dec. 2025
Kansas’ side of the truce was enforced through an executive order while Missouri lawmakers codified it in a state law that expired in August.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 29 Dec. 2025
The governor also suggested that the state could go even further and codify the order into state statute in the upcoming legislative session.
—Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 18 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for codify
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Aaron Klein, The Atlantic, 2 Jan. 2026
The new law effectively codifies that change, requiring Hegseth to prohibit individuals from China, Russia, Iran and North Korea from having direct or indirect access to Defense Department cloud computing systems.
—Renee Dudley, ProPublica, 31 Dec. 2025
Kansas’ side of the truce was enforced through an executive order while Missouri lawmakers codified it in a state law that expired in August.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 29 Dec. 2025
The governor also suggested that the state could go even further and codify the order into state statute in the upcoming legislative session.
—Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 18 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for codify
Cite this Entry
“Codify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/codify. Accessed 6 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
codify
verb
cod·i·fy
ˈkäd-ə-ˌfī
ˈkōd-
codified; codifying
: to arrange (as a collection of laws) in an orderly form
Legal Definition
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