unionize

verb

union·​ize ˈyün-yə-ˌnīz How to pronounce unionize (audio)
unionized; unionizing
Synonyms of unionizenext

transitive verb

: to organize into a labor union

intransitive verb

: to form or join a labor union
unionizable adjective
unionizable employees

Examples of unionize in a Sentence

Workers are fighting for the right to unionize.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Another possibility is that colleges recognize some D-I athletes as employees, with schools and conferences acting as joint employers, allowing athletes to unionize and collectively bargain eligibility rules. Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 18 Mar. 2026 University of California, Davis data shows less than 1% of farmworkers are unionized, compared with about 1 in 10 American workers overall. Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026 While almost all the nation’s most prestigious ballet companies are unionized, many professional ballet dancers work in smaller companies or freelance, and don’t enjoy union protections, leaving them with little power to raise their wages or improve their workplaces in other ways. Chloe Angyal, Time, 9 Mar. 2026 The Writers Guild East has been unionized for 20 years. Katie Campione, Deadline, 6 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unionize

Word History

First Known Use

1872, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of unionize was in 1872

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unionize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unionize. Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

unionize

verb
union·​ize ˈyün-yə-ˌnīz How to pronounce unionize (audio)
unionized; unionizing
: to form into a labor union
unionization
ˌyün-yə-nə-ˈzā-shən
noun

Legal Definition

unionize

verb
union·​ize ˈyü-nyə-ˌnīz How to pronounce unionize (audio)
unionized; unionizing

transitive verb

: to organize into a labor union
to prevent them from unionizing the employees
also : to establish a labor union in
a unionized shop

intransitive verb

: to form or join a labor union
unionization noun

More from Merriam-Webster on unionize

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