revolutionize

verb

rev·​o·​lu·​tion·​ize ˌre-və-ˈlü-shə-ˌnīz 

revolutionized; revolutionizing

transitive verb

1

: to overthrow the established government of

2

: to imbue with revolutionary doctrines

3

: to change fundamentally or completely

revolutionize an industry

intransitive verb

: to engage in revolution

revolutionizer noun

Examples of revolutionize in a Sentence

The invention of the airplane revolutionized travel.

This new drug may revolutionize cancer treatment.

This discovery has revolutionized our understanding of how the human brain works.

Recent Examples on the Web

For example, the discovery of King Richard III’s remains under a parking lot in Leicester in 2021 revolutionized how historians understand the end of the Plantagenet dynasty, Draycott said. —Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 26 Sep. 2025

This surgery, initially given a 1% chance of success, allowed John to continue his baseball career and revolutionized sports medicine. —Lorenzino Estrada, AZCentral.com, 25 Sep. 2025

EVs are revolutionizing the auto sector. —Katherine Fung claire Dodds, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025

Hypersonic missiles capable of flying well in excess of five times the speed of sound promise to revolutionize warfare and aviation in general in a manner not seen since the sound barrier was broken in 1947. —New Atlas, 24 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

revolution + -ize

First Known Use

1797, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for revolutionize

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

Kids Definition

revolutionize

verb

rev·​o·​lu·​tion·​ize ˌrev-ə-ˈlü-shə-ˌnīz 

revolutionized; revolutionizing

1

: to overthrow the established government of

2

: to cause a person to become a revolutionist

3

: to change greatly or completely

an invention that revolutionized the industry

revolutionizer noun