professionalize

verb

pro·​fes·​sion·​al·​ize prə-ˈfesh-nə-ˌlīz 

-ˈfe-shə-nə-ˌlīz

professionalized; professionalizing

transitive verb

: to give a professional character to

professionalization

prə-ˌfesh-nə-lə-ˈzā-shən 

-ˌfe-shə-nə-lə-

noun

Examples of professionalize in a Sentence

The country is professionalizing the military.

Recent Examples on the Web

Klose professionalized the leadership structure and established more competitive pay for the networks' hosts. —David Folkenflik, NPR, 15 Apr. 2026

In some ways, the move echoes UNC bringing in Belichick to professionalize and modernize a perpetually so-so football program in December 2024. —Brendan Marks, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2026

College basketball has become increasingly professionalized over the past several years. —Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 2 Apr. 2026

The game has professionalized as money reshaped the sports landscape, and competitive advantages shifted to big schools with seemingly unlimited budgets when the NCAA took over the sport in 1982. —ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1856, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for professionalize

• contextualize
• industrialize
• materialise
• materialize
• memorialize
• microenterprise
• overemphasize
• particularize
• revolutionise
• revolutionize
• actualize
• antagonize

Kids Definition

professionalize

verb

pro·​fes·​sion·​al·​ize prə-ˈfesh-nəl-ˌīz 

-ən-ᵊl-

professionalized; professionalizing

: to give a professional nature to