popularize

verb

pop·​u·​lar·​ize ˈpä-pyə-lə-ˌrīz How to pronounce popularize (audio)
popularized; popularizing
Synonyms of popularizenext

intransitive verb

: to cater to popular taste

transitive verb

: to make popular: such as
a
: to cause to be liked or esteemed
a sitcom that popularized the phrase
b
: to present in generally understandable or interesting form
a popularized version of American history
popularization noun
popularizer noun

Examples of popularize in a Sentence

a phrase that was popularized by its use in a hit TV show Dream analysis was popularized by Sigmund Freud. The book presents a popularized version of American history.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
While Taylor Swift often gets credit for popularizing the notion of era reinventions, artists have played with their visuals to communicate and market new album cycles for decades — just look at Beyoncé, Madonna, David Bowie and The Beatles. Chelsey Sanchez, CNN Money, 25 June 2026 Macchio’s other song picks all have references to religion or deities, whereas the Cohen song is entirely secular in nature, despite the connotations that have been placed on it by some performers as it has become popularized in recent years. Chris Willman, Variety, 24 June 2026 The chrome aura trend, popularized by nail artist Destiny Medina, signals a return to aura nails’ original whimsy, albeit with a modern twist. Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 23 June 2026 The tri-band Eero Pro 6E ($299 to $699) is another leap forward in home Wi-Fi for the company that popularized mesh Wi-Fi systems. Brad Bourque, The Verge, 23 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for popularize

Word History

Etymology

probably borrowed from French populariser "to present in a favorable light, make popular," from populaire popular + -iser -ize

First Known Use

1593, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of popularize was in 1593

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Popularize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/popularize. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

popularize

verb
pop·​u·​lar·​ize ˈpäp-yə-lə-ˌrīz How to pronounce popularize (audio)
popularized; popularizing
: to make popular
popularization noun
popularizer noun

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