subsidize

verb

sub·​si·​dize ˈsəb-sə-ˌdīz 

-zə-

subsidized; subsidizing

transitive verb

: to furnish with a subsidy: such as

a

: to purchase the assistance of by payment of a subsidy

b

: to aid or promote (someone or something, such as a private enterprise) with public money

subsidize soybean farmers

subsidize public transportation

subsidization

ˌsəb-sə-də-ˈzā-shən 

-zə-

noun

subsidizer noun

Synonyms of subsidize

• fund
• finance

Examples of subsidize in a Sentence

The state subsidizes housing for low-income families.

She feels that private businesses should not be subsidized by taxpayers.

The company subsidizes health insurance for its employees.

Recent Examples on the Web

Iceland, long a leader in gender equality, subsidizes childcare, legislates equal wages, gives paid parental leave to both men and women, and has a gender equality act that includes a quota for women on boards. — Christine Ledbetter, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026

Planning Commissioner Chris Salley asked if the city would conduct a fiscal impact study on each project where these incentives were offered and how would the city decide which project to subsidize. — Marc Hayot, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026

Governments could increase birth rates by requiring insurers to cover fertility treatments and subsidizing their costs. — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026

Despite a slowing economy and domestic labor-market pressures, China continues to subsidize and incentivize companies in Fujian to recruit young Taiwanese to work in the province. — Ningrong Liu, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1755, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for subsidize

• advertise
• aggrandize
• alibis
• alkalies
• alkalis
• amortize
• amplifies
• analyse
• analyze
• anywise
• authorize
• butterflies

Kids Definition

subsidize

verb

sub·​si·​dize ˈsəb-sə-ˌdīz 

-zə-

subsidized; subsidizing

: to aid or furnish with a subsidy

subsidization

ˌsəb-səd-ə-ˈzā-shən 

ˌsəb-zəd-

noun

subsidizer noun