materialize

verb

ma·​te·​ri·​al·​ize mə-ˈtir-ē-ə-ˌlīz 

materialized; materializing

transitive verb

1

a

: to make material : objectify

b

: to cause to appear in bodily form

materialize the spirits of the dead

2

: to cause to be materialistic

intransitive verb

1

: to assume bodily form

2

a

: to appear especially suddenly

b

: to come into existence

materializer noun

Synonyms of materialize

• begin
• originate
• arise
• start
• appear
• commence
• be
• emerge

Examples of materialize in a Sentence

A waiter suddenly materialized beside our table.

Rain clouds materialized on the horizon.

Recent Examples on the Web

But after three years of stadium discussions, pressure is mounting for something concrete to materialize. —Marissa Perlman, CBS News, 19 Feb. 2026

According to a hazardous weather notice issued Thursday morning, if the threat materializes, travel could be disrupted across the Interstate 95 corridor through Central Maryland, Washington and Northern Virginia. —Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 19 Feb. 2026

Pichai pointed to surging Google Cloud demand as evidence that returns are already materializing. —Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 19 Feb. 2026

Economic output and the stock market are surging, consumers are spending big and the post-pandemic recession that many expected never materialized. —Alex Harring, CNBC, 18 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1710, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Rhymes for materialize

• contextualize
• industrialize
• materialise
• memorialize
• microenterprise
• overemphasize
• particularize
• revolutionise
• revolutionize
• actualize
• antagonize
• apologise

Kids Definition

materialize

verb

ma·​te·​ri·​al·​ize mə-ˈtir-ē-ə-ˌlīz 

materialized; materializing

1

: to give material form and substance to

2

: to assume or cause to assume bodily form

a ghost materialized out of nowhere

3

a

: to come into existence

a promise that never materialized

b

: to appear suddenly