modernize
verb
mod·ern·ize
ˈmä-dər-ˌnīz 
modernized; modernizing
: to make modern (as in taste, style, or usage)
modernize a kitchen
: to adopt modern ways
Older companies need to modernize to survive in the new economy.
modernizer
noun
Examples of modernize in a Sentence
We're modernizing our kitchen with a new oven, refrigerator, and dishwasher.
The country recently announced plans to begin modernizing its army.
The school needs a building with modernized classrooms.
Older companies will need to modernize quickly if they are to survive in today's economy.
Recent Examples on the Web
The military has been targeted in recent years, including the removal of its top general last month, as Xi seeks to reform and modernize the armed forces.
—
ABC News, 7 Mar. 2026
Sherlock is an effortless update of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s seminal detective novels, one that’s brilliantly modernized while retaining all of the source material’s classical charms.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Mar. 2026
Milan is a vibrant and growing city—and in the last few decades, entire neighborhoods have been transformed and modernized in the North Italian capital.
—Giada Storelli, Architectural Digest, 7 Mar. 2026
Rather, this is the tour of the 2023 revival, which — under the guidance of acclaimed director and choreographer Josh Rhodes — modernized the musical by upping the pop-culture references and stage designs while still keeping the storyline firmly set in medieval times.
—Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 7 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for modernize
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ABC News, 7 Mar. 2026
Sherlock is an effortless update of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s seminal detective novels, one that’s brilliantly modernized while retaining all of the source material’s classical charms.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Mar. 2026
Milan is a vibrant and growing city—and in the last few decades, entire neighborhoods have been transformed and modernized in the North Italian capital.
—Giada Storelli, Architectural Digest, 7 Mar. 2026
Rather, this is the tour of the 2023 revival, which — under the guidance of acclaimed director and choreographer Josh Rhodes — modernized the musical by upping the pop-culture references and stage designs while still keeping the storyline firmly set in medieval times.
—Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 7 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for modernize
Cite this Entry
“Modernize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/modernize. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
modernize
verb
mod·ern·ize
ˈmäd-ər-ˌnīz
modernized; modernizing
: to make or become modern
especially
: to change to suit present styles, tastes, or needs
modernization
noun
ˌmäd-ər-nə-ˈzā-shən
modernizer
noun
ˈmäd-ər-ˌnī-zər
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