standardize
verb
stan·dard·ize
ˈstan-dər-ˌdīz 
standardized; standardizing; standardizes
1
: to bring into conformity with a standard especially in order to assure consistency and regularity
trying to standardize testing procedures
There ought to be a law standardizing the controls for hot and cold in hotel and motel showers.—
Andrew A. Rooney
Andrew A. RooneyThese rectangular steel boxes, first used about fifty years ago, revolutionized the transportation of freight by standardizing the size and shape of the container, enabling it to be moved seamlessly from boat and barge to rail or truck.—James McCommons
James McCommons2
: to compare with a standard : to determine the strength, value, or quality of (something) by comparison with a standard
standardize a solution
standardize a voltmeter
Examples of standardize in a Sentence
He standardized procedures for the industry.
the plan is to standardize the test for reading comprehension so that we can see how students across the state compare
Recent Examples on the Web
In 1924, the FDA passed the Standard Milk Ordinance (now known as the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance), which was intended to standardize and enhance safety measures for dairy products across the United States.
—Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 6 Feb. 2026
Like employees at Target and Ariat, workers in DHL’s reverse logistics network leverage a proprietary decision-making software called ReSKU, which is built to help standardize and hasten returns processing.
—Peter Sadera, Sourcing Journal, 6 Feb. 2026
Cereal manufacturers soon followed, recognizing cereal as an ideal delivery system because it was widely consumed and easy to standardize.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 6 Feb. 2026
The transition allowed Capital Metro to standardize its fleet appearance across UT Shuttle and city routes — a move some students said caused confusion because buses were no longer visually distinct at a glance.
—Robbie Farias, Austin American Statesman, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for standardize
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Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 6 Feb. 2026
Like employees at Target and Ariat, workers in DHL’s reverse logistics network leverage a proprietary decision-making software called ReSKU, which is built to help standardize and hasten returns processing.
—Peter Sadera, Sourcing Journal, 6 Feb. 2026
Cereal manufacturers soon followed, recognizing cereal as an ideal delivery system because it was widely consumed and easy to standardize.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 6 Feb. 2026
The transition allowed Capital Metro to standardize its fleet appearance across UT Shuttle and city routes — a move some students said caused confusion because buses were no longer visually distinct at a glance.
—Robbie Farias, Austin American Statesman, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for standardize
Cite this Entry
“Standardize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/standardize. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
standardize
verb
stan·dard·ize
ˈstan-dərd-ˌīz
standardized; standardizing
: to compare with or make agree with a standard
Medical Definition
standardize
transitive verb
stan·dard·ize
variants
also British standardise
standardized also British standardised; standardizing also British standardising
1
: to reduce to or compare with a standard
standardize a solution
2
: to bring into conformity with a standard
3
: to arrange or order the component items of a test (as of intelligence or personality) so that the probability of their eliciting a designated class of response varies with some quantifiable psychological or behavioral attribute, function, or characteristic
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