ionize

verb

ion·​ize ˈī-ə-ˌnīz 

ionized; ionizing

transitive verb

: to convert wholly or partly into ions

intransitive verb

: to become ionized

ionizable

ˈī-ə-ˌnī-zə-bəl 

adjective

ionizer

ˈī-ə-ˌnī-zər 

noun

Examples of ionize in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

His handheld radiation monitor detected ionizing radiation that was alarmingly high, though not lethal, and the following day he was diagnosed with radiation burns on his head and hand. —Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 30 June 2025

Intense enough to ionize Earth's upper atmosphere, the eruption caused a shortwave radio blackout centered over the Pacific Ocean. —Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 20 June 2025

In this case, rapid, intense flash of electromagnetic energy were strong enough to ionize Earth's upper atmosphere and disrupt radio signals on the sunlit side of the planet, according to Space.com. —Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 19 June 2025

When the lower layers are ionized, however, these waves lose energy or become completely absorbed, causing radio blackouts. —Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

ion + -ize, after German ionisiren (now ionisieren) or French ioniser

First Known Use

1898, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for ionize

• advise
• applies
• apprise
• arise
• assize
• baptize
• belies
• bitwise
• capsize
• chastise
• chordwise
• clockwise

Kids Definition

ionize

verb

ion·​ize ˈī-ə-ˌnīz 

ionized; ionizing

1

: to convert wholly or partly into ions

2

: to become ionized

ionizable

-ˌnī-zə-bəl 

adjective

ionization

ˌī-ə-nə-ˈzā-shən 

noun

ionizer

ˈī-ə-ˌnī-zər 

noun

Medical Definition

ionize

verb

ion·​ize

variants or chiefly British ionise

ˈī-ə-ˌnīz 

ionized or chiefly British ionised; ionizing or chiefly British ionising

transitive verb

: to convert wholly or partly into ions

intransitive verb

: to become ionized

ionizable adjective

or chiefly British ionisable

-ˌnī-zə-bəl 

ionization noun

or chiefly British ionisation

ˌī-ə-nə-ˈzā-shən