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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of commodify
This refers to the societal tendency to commodify every aspect of life, often to the detriment of authenticity and human connection.
—
Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
Critics argue these policies effectively commodify citizenship, potentially undermining social cohesion.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 2 Nov. 2024
And the logic of marketing dictates that dating apps commodify people into legible archetypes for an easy sale.
—Josh Greenblatt, WIRED, 17 July 2024
Will the drive to commodify ancient practices defile them?
—Oshan Jarow, Vox, 7 June 2024
See All Example Sentences for commodify
Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
Critics argue these policies effectively commodify citizenship, potentially undermining social cohesion.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 2 Nov. 2024
And the logic of marketing dictates that dating apps commodify people into legible archetypes for an easy sale.
—Josh Greenblatt, WIRED, 17 July 2024
Will the drive to commodify ancient practices defile them?
—Oshan Jarow, Vox, 7 June 2024
See All Example Sentences for commodify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commodify
Verb
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By exploiting Bitcoin arbitrage opportunities, such as price differences between Japan and the U.S., Alameda generated daily profits up to $1 million.—
Jack Kelly,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2025
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Airlines are making a ridiculous amount of money by selling you the promise of avoiding a middle seat or exploiting your separation anxiety or your claustrophobia.—
Christopher Elliott,
USA Today,
10 May 2025
Verb
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The book’s vivid digital art, collaged from her own photographs and manipulated in Photoshop, helped children connect with science and nature in new ways.—
Kaitlyn Gomez,
USA Today,
1 May 2025
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While Henry initially tries to spin his behavior as a benevolent act of kindness, Barnes effectively makes the case that Henry was merely manipulated by a charming sociopath.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
30 Apr. 2025
Verb
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After the show premiered, actress Amber Dixon Brenner alleged in a lawsuit that Akil’s husband, Salim, had abused her over the course of their previously unknown, decade-long extramarital affair.—
Jazmine Hughes,
Vulture,
2 May 2025
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In an August 2020 filing, Sura, said Abrego Garcia had kicked and slapped her, as well as verbally abused her.—
Amanda Castro
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 May 2025
Verb
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OpenAI, which was created as a nonprofit artificial intelligence research lab in 2015, has been commercializing products in recent years, most notably its viral ChatGPT chatbot.—
Hayden Field,
CNBC,
23 Apr. 2025
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That idea was commercialized as Commonwealth Fusion.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
1 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Commodify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commodify. Accessed 15 May. 2025.
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