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

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

The uniforms draw inspiration from pop art, a style popularized by Pittsburgh native Andy Warhol, and the team's 60-year history, including the blue color associated with the franchise's inaugural season in 1967. — Garrett Behanna, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026

As Reinhold Martin has shown, television and the Manhattan curtain wall (first popularized by Mies van der Rohe) are components of the same mediatic process. — Alec Mapes-Frances, Artforum, 1 Nov. 2026

The playlist trend was first popularized by President Barack Obama in the summer of 2015. — Lucy Gellman, Hartford Courant, 30 Oct. 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