politicize
verb
po·lit·i·cize
pə-ˈli-tə-ˌsīz 
politicized; politicizing
: to give a political tone or character to
an attempt to politicize the civil service
Examples of politicize in a Sentence
They have politicized the budget process.
Recent Examples on the Web
Trump supporters and Trump skeptics who believe the Biden administration politicizes law enforcement have contempt for the prosecutions.
—
Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 9 Dec. 2023
The debate in South Korea over how to meet its climate target has become highly politicized in recent years.
—Michelle Ye Hee Lee, Washington Post, 7 Dec. 2023
More than 10% of the district’s 370-employees have left their jobs since the takeover, with many saying in exit interviews that the district has been politicized and is now permeated by cronyism.
—Mike Schneider, Fortune, 6 Dec. 2023
This seems prescient, given Kennedy’s recent ascendance in a political sphere already filled with demagogues, some in Congress who are politicizing dangerous nonsense about vaccines.
—Keith Kloor, Scientific American, 22 Nov. 2023
But the peace and literature awards, in particular, are sometimes accused of being politicized.
—Karl Ritter, The Christian Science Monitor, 5 Oct. 2023
Mark Kelly Since President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law, Washington hypocrisy has been on display, with both sides politicizing the bill to gain a partisan advantage.
—Joe Manchin, WSJ, 22 Sep. 2023
And, after that, if that gets politicized, it gets politicized.
—Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 17 Nov. 2023
This most modern of pogroms—global, televised, politicized—demonstrates exactly what is at stake as Israel ramps up its defensive war against Hamas in Gaza.
—The Editorial Board, WSJ, 30 Oct. 2023
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Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 9 Dec. 2023
The debate in South Korea over how to meet its climate target has become highly politicized in recent years.
—Michelle Ye Hee Lee, Washington Post, 7 Dec. 2023
More than 10% of the district’s 370-employees have left their jobs since the takeover, with many saying in exit interviews that the district has been politicized and is now permeated by cronyism.
—Mike Schneider, Fortune, 6 Dec. 2023
This seems prescient, given Kennedy’s recent ascendance in a political sphere already filled with demagogues, some in Congress who are politicizing dangerous nonsense about vaccines.
—Keith Kloor, Scientific American, 22 Nov. 2023
But the peace and literature awards, in particular, are sometimes accused of being politicized.
—Karl Ritter, The Christian Science Monitor, 5 Oct. 2023
Mark Kelly Since President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law, Washington hypocrisy has been on display, with both sides politicizing the bill to gain a partisan advantage.
—Joe Manchin, WSJ, 22 Sep. 2023
And, after that, if that gets politicized, it gets politicized.
—Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 17 Nov. 2023
This most modern of pogroms—global, televised, politicized—demonstrates exactly what is at stake as Israel ramps up its defensive war against Hamas in Gaza.
—The Editorial Board, WSJ, 30 Oct. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'politicize.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
politic or politic(s) + -ize
First Known Use
1846, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near politicize
Cite this Entry
“Politicize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/politicize. Accessed 23 Dec. 2023.
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More from Merriam-Webster on politicize
Britannica English: Translation of politicize for Arabic Speakers
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