globalization

noun

glob·​al·​i·​za·​tion ˌglō-bə-lə-ˈzā-shən 

: the act or process of globalizing : the state of being globalized

especially : the development of an increasingly integrated global economy marked especially by free trade, free flow of capital, and the tapping of cheaper foreign labor markets

Globalization brought with it elongated supply chains, as manufacturing and production were moved across oceans and continents.

—Mary Hui

Much of globalization's appeal came from the cheap labor offered in manufacturing hubs like China and Vietnam. Companies moved production abroad, and lower labor costs kept prices low for all kinds of goods.

—Ben Winck

Free-trade proponents argue there are always winners and losers in globalization, but overall, gains outweigh losses. … That "everyone's better off" argument, though, rang hollow among Rust Belt workers left behind in globalization …

—Kristina Johnson and Samuel Fromartz

Examples of globalization in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The automotive sector is widely regarded as acutely vulnerable to levies, particularly given the high globalization of supply chains and the heavy reliance on manufacturing operations across North America. —Sam Meredith, CNBC, 19 Jan. 2026

Concerns about downward economic mobility and job losses due to globalization have increased political polarization. —Richard Edelman, Time, 18 Jan. 2026

Government leaders and top executives will descend on the Swiss Alps starting Monday for the annual World Economic Forum, the bastion of globalization under strain amid a tumultuous geopolitical landscape. —J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 18 Jan. 2026

American universities stifle through ideological conformity and the illusion of globalization while delivering deeply parochial education. —Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see globe entry 1

First Known Use

1930, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing globalization

• anti-globalization

Rhymes for globalization

• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• administration
• adulteration