vocalize

verb

vo·​cal·​ize ˈvō-kə-ˌlīz How to pronounce vocalize (audio)
vocalized; vocalizing

transitive verb

1
: to give voice to : utter
specifically : sing
2
a
: to make voiced rather than voiceless : voice
b
: to convert to a vowel
3
: to furnish (something, such as a consonantal Hebrew or Arabic text) with vowels or vowel points

intransitive verb

1
: to utter vocal sounds
2
: sing
specifically : to sing without words
vocalization noun
vocalizer noun

Examples of vocalize in a Sentence

The male bird vocalizes to attract a mate. she's not one to vocalize her worries
Recent Examples on the Web Aside from Porowski supermodel Gigi Hadid has also vocalized her support for the couple. Jordan Greene, Peoplemag, 14 Nov. 2023 Barker says, vocalizing a public sentiment he’s long heard. Amy Kaufman, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2023 On detecting acoustic signals, noise can also be produced in the same frequencies in which animals vocalize and can interrupt the transmission of information. Gabriella Sotelo, Treehugger, 26 July 2023 Dogs from ancient breeds were more likely to vocalize or howl than domestic dog breeds. Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 11 Sep. 2023 Steve Fisch The electrode recordings collected from T12 were then used to train a deep-learning model to associate patterns of neural activity with the intention to vocalize individual words. IEEE Spectrum, 24 Aug. 2023 For a 2001 study, the cognitive scientist Tecumseh Fitch cajoled goats, dogs, deer and other species to vocalize while inside a cineradiograph machine that filmed the way their larynxes moved under X-ray. Sonia Shah, New York Times, 20 Sep. 2023 Standing in the state Capitol galleries, housing advocates vocalized their demands. Nushrat Rahman, Detroit Free Press, 5 Sep. 2023 In a 2013 study in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior, researchers found that dogs clinically diagnosed with anxiety were more likely to vocalize when left home alone than dogs without separation issues. Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 11 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'vocalize.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1669, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of vocalize was in 1669

Dictionary Entries Near vocalize

Cite this Entry

“Vocalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vocalize. Accessed 29 Nov. 2023.

Kids Definition

vocalize

verb
vo·​cal·​ize ˈvō-kə-ˌlīz How to pronounce vocalize (audio)
vocalized; vocalizing
: to give voice to
especially : sing entry 1 sense 1a
vocalizer noun

More from Merriam-Webster on vocalize

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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