commercialize

verb

com·​mer·​cial·​ize kə-ˈmər-shə-ˌlīz 

commercialized; commercializing

transitive verb

1

a

: to manage on a business basis for profit

b

: to develop commerce in

2

: to exploit for profit

commercialize Christmas

3

: to debase in quality for more profit

commercialization

kə-ˌmər-sh(ə-)lə-ˈzā-shən 

noun

Examples of commercialize in a Sentence

The company hopes to commercialize the drug next year.

Recent Examples on the Web

As the world scrambles to commercialize safer solid-state batteries and cheaper sodium-ion alternatives, knowing exactly how ions move is everything. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2026

That’s thanks to educational institutions like the University of Toronto, and public-private research institutes like the Vector Institute, which Hinton co-founded to help commercialize AI breakthroughs. — Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026

The company is ultimately looking to commercialize through licensing, sale, or joint ventures, rather than investing in its own full-scale manufacturing facility. — Cleo Levin, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026

Venezuelan experts stress that the reserves remain state property; foreign companies could receive rights to develop fields, extract oil, and commercialize their share. — Tibisay Zea, Christian Science Monitor, 31 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1830, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for commercialize

• actualize
• antagonize
• apologise
• apologize
• capitalize
• categorize
• characterize
• conceptualize
• contrariwise
• criminalize
• decentralize
• democratize

Kids Definition

commercialize

verb

com·​mer·​cial·​ize kə-ˈmər-shə-ˌlīz 

commercialized; commercializing

1

: to manage for the sake of making a profit

2

: to use for profit

commercialize Christmas

commercialization

-ˌmər-shə-lə-ˈzā-shən 

noun