individuate

verb

in·​di·​vid·​u·​ate ˌin-də-ˈvi-jə-ˌwāt How to pronounce individuate (audio)
individuated; individuating

transitive verb

1
: to give individuality to
2
: to form into a distinct entity

Examples of individuate in a Sentence

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.
As of season three, episode nine, the wedding is off and Belly is in Paris individuating for the first time in her life. Bethy Squires, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2025 Enemies are the forces that divide us, that individuate us. Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 5 July 2025 The enemies are the forces that divide us, that individuate us. Damon Wise, Deadline, 5 July 2025 Visually they are individuated, but we are given to know almost nothing about them, and certainly not their inner life. Barry Schwabsky, Artforum, 1 Apr. 2025 Nowhere is the dichotomy more evident than Helly/Helena, elegantly individuated by Lower. Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 7 Jan. 2025 According to eating disorder expert Kyla Fox, MSW, RSW, the essence of adolescence is about individuating and developing autonomy. Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 22 July 2024 Somebody had really taken a lot of effort to get their voices differentiated and individuated. Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 31 Dec. 2023 The time could be better spent individuating the six-headed protagonist. Jesse Green, New York Times, 13 Nov. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1614, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of individuate was in 1614

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Cite this Entry

“Individuate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/individuate. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

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