summarize

verb

sum·​ma·​rize ˈsə-mə-ˌrīz 

summarized; summarizing

transitive verb

: to tell in or reduce to a summary

intransitive verb

: to make a summary

summarizable

ˌsə-mə-ˈrī-zə-bəl 

adjective

summarizer noun

Synonyms of summarize

• outline
• digest

Examples of summarize in a Sentence

I would like to take a moment to summarize the facts that I presented earlier.

He summarized by saying we needed better planning and implementation.

To summarize, we need better schools.

Recent Examples on the Web

As has been summarized in many articles about the Netflix purge, creative leadership at the company is being overhauled amid poor stock performance and declining user engagement on the platform. — Matt Donnelly, Variety, 20 Oct. 2026

Related Stories InCheck reports summarize how a factory’s chemical inventory conforms to ZDHC’s Manufacturing Restricted Substances List, or MRSL. — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 2026

Generative AI can summarize a two-hour meeting in 90 seconds and compress a week of analysis into an afternoon. — Tyson Gundersen, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026

For example, users could ask ChatGPT to explain an article in plain English, summarize its main argument and supporting evidence, or answer questions about a YouTube video. — Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 18 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1832, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for summarize

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

Kids Definition

summarize

verb

sum·​ma·​rize ˈsəm-ə-ˌrīz 

summarized; summarizing

1

: to tell in or reduce to a summary

2

: to make a summary

summarizable

ˌsəm-ə-ˈrī-zə-bəl 

adjective

summarizer noun