polarize

verb

po·​lar·​ize ˈpō-lə-ˌrīz 

polarized; polarizing; polarizes

transitive verb

1

: to cause to vibrate in a definite pattern

lenses that polarize light waves

2

: to give physical polarity to

exposure to an electric field can polarize a piece of iron

sunglasses with polarized lenses

3

: to break up into opposing factions or groups

a campaign that polarized the electorate

4

: concentrate sense 1

… re-create a cohesive rock community by polarizing what has become an amorphous, fragmented audience.

—Ellen Willis

intransitive verb

: to become polarized

polarizability

ˌpō-lə-ˌrī-zə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

polarized adjective

polarized sunglasses

a polarized political climate

Examples of polarize in a Sentence

The war has polarized the nation.

The current debate polarizes along lines of class and race.

Recent Examples on the Web

Italian artist-cum-pranker Maurizio Cattelan has revisited the artwork that turned a banana and some duct tape into one of contemporary art’s biggest and most polarizing talking points. — George Nelson, ARTnews.com, 13 July 2026

Angela was definitely one of the most polarizing Big Brother players in recent memory. — Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 13 July 2026

The fighting is what has made teen takeovers so polarizing in recent months. — Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 10 July 2026

The country became so polarized that in August senior IDF officials warned lawmakers that the readiness of the military had begun to weaken. — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

French polariser, from New Latin polaris polar

First Known Use

1811, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for polarize

• advertise
• aggrandize
• alibis
• alkalies
• alkalis
• amortize
• amplifies
• analyse
• analyze
• anywise
• authorize
• butterflies

Kids Definition

polarize

verb

po·​lar·​ize ˈpō-lə-ˌrīz 

polarized; polarizing

1

: to cause to vibrate (as light waves) in a definite pattern

2

: to give physical polarity to

3

: to break up into opposing groups

4

: to become polarized

polarization noun

Medical Definition

polarize

verb

po·​lar·​ize

variants also British polarise

ˈpō-lə-ˌrīz 

polarized also British polarised; polarizing also British polarising

transitive verb

1

: to cause (as light waves) to vibrate in a definite pattern

2

: to give physical polarity to

intransitive verb

: to become polarized