as in to exploit
disapproving
to treat (something that cannot be owned or that everyone has a right to) like a product that can be bought and sold
Do we really want to commodify our water supply? I feel like our culture is being commodified.
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Recent Examples of commodify
Or will the troves of data being amassed on nonhuman animals be used to further commodify and objectify them?
—
David Gruber, Time, 24 Apr. 2025
Publicis and other advertising firms argue that these new AI tools makes marketing more relevant to customers and less wasteful, but regulators — particularly in Europe — remain wary of systems that commodify vast amounts of personal data.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 20 Mar. 2025
If the sole aim of a company is to profit, extraction and exploitation become the norm as businesses seek new resources to commodify
The theory of shareholder wealth maximization has, in recent years, been met with significant scrutiny.
—Aissa Dearing, JSTOR Daily, 9 Jan. 2025
Far from democratizing creativity, these projects frequently centralize authority and commodify the works of individual creators.
—Virginie Berger, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for commodify
David Gruber, Time, 24 Apr. 2025
Publicis and other advertising firms argue that these new AI tools makes marketing more relevant to customers and less wasteful, but regulators — particularly in Europe — remain wary of systems that commodify vast amounts of personal data.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 20 Mar. 2025
If the sole aim of a company is to profit, extraction and exploitation become the norm as businesses seek new resources to commodify
The theory of shareholder wealth maximization has, in recent years, been met with significant scrutiny.
—Aissa Dearing, JSTOR Daily, 9 Jan. 2025
Far from democratizing creativity, these projects frequently centralize authority and commodify the works of individual creators.
—Virginie Berger, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for commodify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commodify
Verb
-
The show mostly avoids the politics that swirl around the design business, especially these days when critics are obsessed with the environmental evils of fast fashion and the shortcomings of an industry known to exploit labor around the globe.—
Ray Mark Rinaldi,
Denver Post,
6 Apr. 2026
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Nevertheless, rumors about Altman’s personal life have been exploited and distorted by competitors.—
Ronan Farrow,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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There are seeds to grab, and in some cases, a team could essentially manipulate how their side of the bracket sorts itself out.—
Tim Reynolds,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 Apr. 2026
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The case would also require testimony, which meant that at least one of Bateman’s wives needed to realize she was being manipulated and abused.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In his Easter homily, the pope singled out those who wage war, abuse the weak and prioritize profits.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
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Administrator Crystal Ruth switches on dozens of heat lamps that radiate a yellow hue to warm at least 80 disabled, abandoned or formerly abused animals that call the rescue home.—
Julian Camejo,
Miami Herald,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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These forces combined will develop, produce and commercialize fuel-cell systems for such vehicles, manufacture the core components of fuel cells, and also support the development of hydrogen supply and infrastructure.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
4 Apr. 2026
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In 2024 alone, 950 startups launched to commercialize academic research.—
Tomas J. Philipson,
Fortune,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Commodify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commodify. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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