materialize

verb

ma·​te·​ri·​al·​ize mə-ˈtir-ē-ə-ˌlīz How to pronounce materialize (audio)
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

Examples of materialize in a Sentence

A waiter suddenly materialized beside our table. Rain clouds materialized on the horizon.
Recent Examples on the Web The Nazi wave that everyone had expected failed to materialize. Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2024 But by the end of the week, the council had yet to materialize, underscoring the deal’s fragility. John Hudson, Washington Post, 16 Mar. 2024 After Adele belted her last song and no ring materialized, the pianist suggested the couple join him and his bandmates to see a musical act perform at the Barbershop, a cocktail lounge and live music venue at the Cosmopolitan resort. Andrew Zucker, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024 Biden has proposed housing aid throughout his administration that never materialized. Josh Boak, Fortune, 15 Mar. 2024 Myers was briefly courted for a job in Santos’ office, though the position never materialized. Scott Wartman, The Enquirer, 12 Mar. 2024 This offseason, the pitcher’s hopes of signing with an MLB team have again failed to materialize. Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2024 Indeed, demand was strong in 2023 as Americans opened their wallets for both goods and services — a remarkable display of resilience in the face of the highest interest rates in two decades and recession fears that materialized after some banking stresses in the spring. Bryan Mena, CNN, 3 Mar. 2024 The mega hotel, office and retail project faced numerous setbacks and never materialized. Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'materialize.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1710, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of materialize was in 1710

Dictionary Entries Near materialize

Cite this Entry

“Materialize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/materialize. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

materialize

verb
ma·​te·​ri·​al·​ize mə-ˈtir-ē-ə-ˌlīz How to pronounce materialize (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on materialize

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