revolutionize

1 of 2

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

revolutionizer

2 of 2

noun

rev·​o·​lu·​tion·​iz·​er

variants also British revolutioniser

-zə(r)

plural -s

: one that revolutionizes

revolutionizer of heavy industry

Examples of revolutionize in a Sentence

Verb

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

Verb

And the company has credited him with helping revolutionize FedEx; revamping its operating strategy, growing its e-commerce business, and putting global supply chain data at the center of its next chapter. — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 17 July 2026

SpaceX thinks Starship's combination of power and reusability will revolutionize spaceflight, allowing humanity to settle the moon and Mars, among other bold exploration feats. — Mike Wall, Space.com, 16 July 2026

These timeless short haircuts will revolutionize the look for women of all ages. — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 12 July 2026

Geisel is one such figure, a man with a meteoric rise who revolutionized children’s literature and danced across many sides of political controversy. — Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 11 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

revolution + -ize

First Known Use

Verb

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