politicize

verb

po·​lit·​i·​cize pə-ˈli-tə-ˌsīz 

politicized; politicizing

transitive verb

: to give a political tone or character to

an attempt to politicize the civil service

politicization

pə-ˌli-tə-sə-ˈzā-shən 

noun

Examples of politicize in a Sentence

They have politicized the budget process.

Recent Examples on the Web

In particular, her office took issue with a passage in the order that said the mayor’s office would be involved in referring cases to prosecutors, a procedure that the prosecutor’s office said would imperil potential cases by politicizing the process. —Madeline Buckley, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026

Teachers need institutions that support them, not laws that treat them as suspects, and not training programs that quietly politicize their profession. —Dana Stangel-Plowe, Boston Herald, 18 Feb. 2026

Masked enforcement officers, politicized prosecutions, and attacks on independent institutions are warning signs that liberty can be hollowed out in plain sight. —Ken Silverstein, Twin Cities, 15 Feb. 2026

Those wounds remain very raw, and Rahman will have to rebuild trust in institutions that were totally politicized by Hasina’s Awami League party, including the military, courts, civil service, and security services. —Charlie Campbell, Time, 13 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

politic or politic(s) + -ize

First Known Use

1846, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for politicize

• actualize
• antagonize
• apologise
• apologize
• capitalize
• categorize
• characterize
• commercialize
• conceptualize
• contrariwise
• criminalize
• decentralize