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

a sitcom that popularized the phrase

b

: to present in generally understandable or interesting form

a popularized version of American history

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

Beyond having a short-form video presence, some traditional news outlets are leaning into formats and styles popularized in the vertical video era. — Mia Sato, The Verge, 8 Nov. 2026

The Philadelphia Eagles popularized that particular short-yardage approach. — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 8 Nov. 2026

White monochrome suits have been popularized within the last decade for women in politics, worn by both former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former Vice President of the United States Kamala Harris. — Footwear News, 4 Nov. 2026

That strategy involved targeting lower-level crimes and public offenses to prevent more serious crimes, an approach that was popularized under former mayor Rudy Giuliani during his time in office from 1994 to 2001. — Kelsie Cairns , Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 3 Nov. 2026

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