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
Some towns outlawed flashing signs years ago in an attempt to modernize their codes and their cities’ appearances.
—
Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 11 Jan. 2026
In the late nineteen-eighties, the Soviet leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, tried to modernize his regime by democratizing the political system, ending censorship, easing the Cold War with the United States, and introducing market mechanisms into the economy.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 11 Jan. 2026
Over the years, state lawmakers have made several efforts to modernize the formula but have been unsuccessful.
—Staci Fox, AJC.com, 10 Jan. 2026
Making decisions at the top doesn’t solve issues on the ground, such as the need to fix schools and modernize infrastructure.
—Philip K. Howard, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for modernize
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Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 11 Jan. 2026
In the late nineteen-eighties, the Soviet leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, tried to modernize his regime by democratizing the political system, ending censorship, easing the Cold War with the United States, and introducing market mechanisms into the economy.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 11 Jan. 2026
Over the years, state lawmakers have made several efforts to modernize the formula but have been unsuccessful.
—Staci Fox, AJC.com, 10 Jan. 2026
Making decisions at the top doesn’t solve issues on the ground, such as the need to fix schools and modernize infrastructure.
—Philip K. Howard, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 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 14 Jan. 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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