popularize
verb
pop·u·lar·ize
ˈpä-pyə-lə-ˌrīz 
popularized; popularizing
: to cater to popular taste
: 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
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 women’s proposition sees quarter-zips (a key trend of the season, popularized by Matthieu Blazy’s Chanel runway), polo tops, tees and shirts of many kinds, colors and finishes–short- and long-sleeve–with generous use of checks and stripes.
—
Alice Cary, Vogue, 3 Mar. 2026
The watch’s digital-style display was first popularized by Josef Pallweber, an Austrian engineer who licensed his 1883 mechanical invention to Swiss makers including Cortébert and, most famously, IWC Schaffhausen.
—Victoria Gomelsky, Robb Report, 2 Mar. 2026
The new ‘Burbs, expanded to eight episodes by creator Celeste Hughey, seems at first to be a stale, simplistic fusion of its namesake and the more recent wave of racially attuned social thrillers popularized by Get Out director Jordan Peele.
—Judy Berman, Time, 27 Feb. 2026
Though OpenAI’s ChatGPT popularized generative AI just three years ago, polls show that a majority of teachers and students nationwide now use the technology in some capacity.
—Calmatters, Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for popularize
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.
Alice Cary, Vogue, 3 Mar. 2026
The watch’s digital-style display was first popularized by Josef Pallweber, an Austrian engineer who licensed his 1883 mechanical invention to Swiss makers including Cortébert and, most famously, IWC Schaffhausen.
—Victoria Gomelsky, Robb Report, 2 Mar. 2026
The new ‘Burbs, expanded to eight episodes by creator Celeste Hughey, seems at first to be a stale, simplistic fusion of its namesake and the more recent wave of racially attuned social thrillers popularized by Get Out director Jordan Peele.
—Judy Berman, Time, 27 Feb. 2026
Though OpenAI’s ChatGPT popularized generative AI just three years ago, polls show that a majority of teachers and students nationwide now use the technology in some capacity.
—Calmatters, Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for popularize
Cite this Entry
“Popularize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/popularize. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
