contemporize

verb

con·​tem·​po·​rize kən-ˈtem-pə-ˌrīz How to pronounce contemporize (audio)
contemporized; contemporizing
Synonyms of contemporizenext

transitive verb

: to make contemporary
contemporize a magazine with the latest fashions

Examples of contemporize in a Sentence

the new owners of the old-line French restaurant plan to contemporize the menu and make the place seem less intimidating
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Today, Venice is alive with relatively new firms and names seeking to contemporize Venetian glass. Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 6 May 2026 The delight in contemporizing the antiquated past may feel akin to the Pope in cassocks and a White Sox baseball cap, or a good medieval meme. Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 3 Feb. 2026 Anderson has contemporized the timeline, situating us in our dismayingly recognizable era of fascist creep and following a sadly less recognizable underground effort to stop it. Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2025 Three trans opera singers refine their unique vocal talents and contemporize the history of gender-fluid performances in the art form. TO YOUR HANDS: DIR Ana Mouyis. Matthew Carey, Deadline, 7 May 2025 The struggling restaurant’s South Asian owner Ananya (Mahira Kakkar) clings to her and her late husband’s original dream for the place while her forward-thinking Thai-American cook, Jacob (Tommy Bo), urges her to contemporize the menu of traditional dishes and the House of India vibe. David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 May 2025 At the same time, the mill is celebrating denim’s heritage with a collaboration that contemporizes classic textiles. Sj Studio, Sourcing Journal, 14 Apr. 2025 Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, the beloved designer duo synonymous with reviving and contemporizing embroidery techniques, will also mark their presence at the Vogue Wedding Atelier. Sonakshi Sharma, Vogue, 7 Apr. 2025 At the 151-room W Budapest, a Neo-Renaissance building from 1886 once home to the Hungarian State Ballet Academy, lavish details like tiles and arches were preserved, yet are contemporized with such elements as sleek bronze cladding. Alia Akkam, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1646, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of contemporize was in 1646

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Contemporize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contemporize. Accessed 13 May. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster