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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Life-changing events, including the loss of a spouse, early onset dementia or another medical issue, can trigger changes in the way someone would react to anyone who is experienced at manipulating people to part with their money.—
Susan Tompor,
USA Today,
15 May 2025
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For instance, prompt injection attacks—a new twist on the traditional prompt injection attack, where malicious prompts manipulate AI behavior—require novel defensive approaches beyond conventional security controls.—
Omar Turner,
Forbes.com,
13 May 2025
Verb
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For one, the Fed is unconstrained in its printing of dollars and is therefore more likely to abuse that power in its attempt to stabilize the US economy.—
Korok Ray,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2025
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There are players who abused steroids, served their penalty and are now back in the game.—
John Nogowski,
Hartford Courant,
14 May 2025
Verb
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This change in ownership allowed industry to license these technologies from the universities and to commercialize the research, creating dramatic improvements in all areas of the American society and an economic bonanza for the U.S. economy.—
Barbara Bry,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 May 2025
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Similarly, my group has established partnerships with leading hospitals and universities to commercialize emerging technologies that address unmet medical needs.—
Evan Renov,
Forbes.com,
8 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Commodify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commodify. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
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