internalize

verb

in·ter·nal·ize | \ in-ˈtər-nə-ˌlīz

internalized; internalizing

Definition of internalize

: to give a subjective character to specifically : to incorporate (values, patterns of culture, etc.) within the self as conscious or subconscious guiding principles through learning or socialization

Other Words from internalize Example Sentences Learn More about internalize

Keep scrolling for more

Examples of internalize in a Sentence

They have internalized their parents' values.

Recent Examples on the Web

The issue isn’t just that the institutions of the state were always opposed to the Brothers but that the group itself has internalized the brutality and dysfunction of its environment. — Peter Hessler, The New Yorker, "Mohamed Morsi, Who Brought the Muslim Brotherhood to the Egyptian Presidency," 19 June 2019 How much of this fear is internalized, how much projected by others? — National Geographic, "Could a woman walk around the world today?," 5 Apr. 2019 Once internalized, the message of the GHZ effect is unforgettable and mind-expanding. — Quanta Magazine, "Entanglement Made Simple," 28 Apr. 2016 Lead researcher Thomas Curran of the University of Bath in the U.K. points out that many modern parents feel responsible for their children’s achievements and deeply internalize their children’s failures. — Jennifer Breheny Wallace, WSJ, "The Perils of the Child Perfectionist," 31 Aug. 2018 Thus, young women appear to have internalized important lessons from the 2016 election, which some commentators described as rife with toxic masculinity. — Melissa Deckman, Washington Post, "A new poll shows how younger women could help drive a Democratic wave in 2018," 5 Mar. 2018 For all this to be internalized and accepted as normal? — refinery29.com, "The Handmaid's Tale Season 2, Episode 6 Recap: They Went There," 23 May 2018 Many survivors of suicide loss have internalized this stigma. — Carolyn L. Todd, SELF, "7 Things to Say When a Friend’s Loved One Dies by Suicide (and 3 to Avoid)," 5 Feb. 2019 But its own breezy way, the episode does internalize a lot of King’s fatalism. — Noel Murray, The Verge, "Castle Rock is the perfect excuse to start watching Haven on Netflix," 27 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'internalize.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about internalize

Dictionary Entries near internalize

internally fired boiler

internal medicine

internal navigation

Statistics for internalize

Last Updated

24 Jun 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for internalize

The first known use of internalize was in 1794

See more words from the same year

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for internalize

internalize

verb

English Language Learners Definition of internalize

: to make (something, such as an idea or an attitude) an important part of the kind of person you are

See the full definition for internalize in the English Language Learners Dictionary

internalize

transitive verb

in·ter·nal·ize

variants: or chiefly British internalise \ in-ˈtərn-ᵊl-ˌīz

internalized or chiefly British internalised; internalizing or chiefly British internalising

Medical Definition of internalize

: to give a subjective character to specifically : to incorporate (as values or patterns of culture) within the self as conscious or subconscious guiding principles through learning or socialization