popularize

verb

pop·​u·​lar·​ize ˈpä-pyə-lə-ˌrīz 

popularized; popularizing

intransitive verb

: to cater to popular taste

transitive verb

: to make popular: such as

a

: to cause to be liked or esteemed

b

: to present in generally understandable or interesting form

popularization

ˌpä-pyə-lə-rə-ˈzā-shən 

noun

popularizer

ˈpä-pyə-lə-ˌrī-zər 

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

The White Lotus star notably popularized Labubu dolls as bag charms in April 2024. —Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 5 Sep. 2025

Meanwhile, the mockumentary format that The Office popularized has flourished in a host of other series, which did not go unnoticed among the show’s producers. —Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025

The news highlights a movement to popularize a gesture to signal distress to passersby. —Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025

This was the mid 1980s and tandem skydiving hadn’t been popularized yet, so his father, Roger, adjusted accordingly by stuffing carpet padding into the leg pads to stop him from fussing. —Angelina Liu, People.com, 2 Sep. 2025

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

Rhymes for popularize

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

Kids Definition

popularize

verb

pop·​u·​lar·​ize ˈpäp-yə-lə-ˌrīz 

popularized; popularizing

: to make popular

popularization

ˌpäp-yə-lə-rə-ˈzā-shən 

noun

popularizer

ˈpäp-yə-lə-ˌrī-zər 

noun