contextualize

verb

con·​tex·​tu·​al·​ize kən-ˈteks-chə-wə-ˌlīz How to pronounce contextualize (audio)
-chə-ˌlīz
-chü-ə-
contextualized; contextualizing

transitive verb

: to place (something, such as a word or activity) in a context
When the rebellion is historically contextualized, it becomes clear that there were many factors that contributed to it.
contextualization noun

Examples of contextualize in a Sentence

When the rebellion is historically contextualized, it becomes clear that there were many factors contributing to it.
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.
This Sini Anderson documentary contextualizes Hanna within the progressive alternative rock scene that emerged in the 1980s and gained true steam in the '90s, before highlighting her struggle with Lyme disease and the way the messages in Hanna's music translate her personal battles. Eric Farwell, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Feb. 2026 My understanding of incarceration as a system of oppression was shaped by personal experience but was contextualized for me by literature. Literary Hub, 20 Feb. 2026 Manuel, Alexander, and Barker are given extensive space to contextualize their actions, explain their discomfort with certain challenges, and frame their participation in those scenes as constrained by a business model that was bigger than them… but supposedly, not bigger than Banks. Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 19 Feb. 2026 Days of integration should follow the sacramental transformation, during which the participant contextualizes their newfound knowledge before returning to the quotidian world. Erica Rex, STAT, 19 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for contextualize

Word History

Etymology

contextual + -ize

First Known Use

1934, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of contextualize was in 1934

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Contextualize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contextualize. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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