radicalize

verb

rad·​i·​cal·​ize ˈra-di-kə-ˌlīz How to pronounce radicalize (audio)
radicalized; radicalizing

transitive verb

: to make radical especially in politics
radicalization noun

Examples of radicalize in a Sentence

The war has radicalized an entire generation of young people.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The government has accused the men of being armed and radicalized terrorists with a plan to attack an LGBTQ+-friendly establishment in Ferndale or an amusement park, but the FBI got to them first. John Wisely, Freep.com, 10 Nov. 2025 The four-episode series is a devastating depiction of how the dark corners of social media and the internet at large are radicalizing young men today. Taryn Finley, Refinery29, 7 Nov. 2025 Suburban Fury examines how Moore became radicalized, a strange tale involving Patty Hearst, the Symbionese Liberation Army, the Secret Service and the FBI. Matthew Carey, Deadline, 7 Nov. 2025 He was known to police and had been convicted of relatively minor criminal offenses, Nunez said, adding the suspect was not known to French intelligence and not known as someone who was radicalized. Tom Soufi Burridge, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for radicalize

Word History

First Known Use

1830, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of radicalize was in 1830

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Cite this Entry

“Radicalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/radicalize. Accessed 21 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

radicalize

verb
rad·​i·​cal·​ize ˈrad-i-kə-ˌlīz How to pronounce radicalize (audio)
radicalized; radicalizing
: to make radical

More from Merriam-Webster on radicalize

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