commodify

verb

com·​mod·​i·​fy kə-ˈmä-də-ˌfī How to pronounce commodify (audio)
commodified; commodifying

transitive verb

: to turn (something, such as an intrinsic value or a work of art) into a commodity
attempts to commodify the water supply
commodification noun

Examples of commodify in a Sentence

Do we really want to commodify our water supply? I feel like our culture is being commodified.
Recent Examples on the Web Will the drive to commodify ancient practices defile them? Oshan Jarow, Vox, 7 June 2024 But the pursuit of online fame, particularly through Instagram, has supercharged the often toxic phenomenon, The Times found, encouraging parents to commodify their children’s images. Michael H. Keller, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2024 The play isn’t subtle in presenting its allegory of national racial dysfunction—the white family’s self-absorption in the face of Black suffering, and their swift move to commodify it—but Jacobs-Jenkins’s dramatic machinery is often immensely effective. Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 20 Dec. 2023 The five young women in the group must navigate the dark side of a glamorous industry determined to commodify them. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 Feb. 2023 See all Example Sentences for commodify 

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

Word History

Etymology

see commodity

First Known Use

1976, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of commodify was in 1976

Dictionary Entries Near commodify

Cite this Entry

“Commodify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commodify. Accessed 26 Jul. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on commodify

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!