internalize

verb

in·​ter·​nal·​ize in-ˈtər-nə-ˌlīz 

internalized; internalizing

transitive verb

: 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

internalization

in-ˌtər-nə-lə-ˈzā-shən 

noun

Examples of internalize in a Sentence

They have internalized their parents' values.

Recent Examples on the Web

What’s more, the individual had an abdominal yolk, a portion of the egg’s yolk sac that an embryo internalizes into its body cavity just before hatching to use as an energy reserve. — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 23 June 2026

Whether investors have actually internalized that — or are still, somewhere, waiting for the Maestro’s ghost to ride to the rescue — is the question Greenspan leaves behind. — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 23 June 2026

But, by 2030, AI’s intelligence per watt (to reference a new metric recently introduced by Chris Re and colleagues at Stanford) will be dramatically higher, to a degree that few today are anticipating or have yet internalized. — Rob Toews, Forbes.com, 22 June 2026

Success is relative, and failure is easily internalized as our fault alone. — Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 22 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1794, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for internalize

• actualize
• antagonize
• apologise
• apologize
• capitalize
• categorize
• characterize
• commercialize
• conceptualize
• contrariwise
• criminalize
• decentralize

Medical Definition

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

: 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

internalization noun

or chiefly British internalisation

-ˌtərn-ᵊl-ə-ˈzā-shən