radicalize

verb

rad·​i·​cal·​ize ˈra-di-kə-ˌlīz 

radicalized; radicalizing

transitive verb

: to make radical especially in politics

radicalization

ˌra-di-kə-lə-ˈzā-shən 

noun

Examples of radicalize in a Sentence

The war has radicalized an entire generation of young people.

Recent Examples on the Web

Emily Oneschuk, the sister of Andrew, feared her brother was radicalizing as a white supremacist and as a potential school-shooter type. — Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2026

His case highlights an alarming trend in recent years of American teens radicalized online at breakneck speed, according to experts. — Jeff Winter, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2026

Farmers, radicalized by this state of affairs, banded together and stunned the nation in the elections of 1890, which yielded seven congressmen and one senator from Kansas and Nebraska. — Kyle Paoletta, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026

President Joe Biden’s administration shows that attempts to turn the page on fascist criminality without imposing stiff legal consequences will only result in the far right coming back stronger and more radicalized. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 18 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1830, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for radicalize

• actualize
• antagonize
• apologise
• apologize
• capitalize
• categorize
• characterize
• commercialize
• conceptualize
• contrariwise
• criminalize
• decentralize

Kids Definition

radicalize

verb

rad·​i·​cal·​ize ˈrad-i-kə-ˌlīz 

radicalized; radicalizing

: to make radical