as in manifestation
a visible representation of something abstract (as a quality)
bizarre paintings that are the externalization of a very troubled psyche
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Recent Examples of externalization
Art is an externalization of our imagination and need to express ourselves.
—
Roger Sands, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
Virtuoso delivers accurate externalization and localization of sound, ensuring mix decisions translate well to loudspeakers.
—Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024
But this depiction of public shaming feels like a paranoid fantasy, an externalization of May’s guilt, rather than a believable development.
—Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2024
Interludes in which the accusing faces of prisoners silently fill the frame act as a sort of externalization of his survivor’s guilt.
—Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2024
Roger Sands, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
Virtuoso delivers accurate externalization and localization of sound, ensuring mix decisions translate well to loudspeakers.
—Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024
But this depiction of public shaming feels like a paranoid fantasy, an externalization of May’s guilt, rather than a believable development.
—Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2024
Interludes in which the accusing faces of prisoners silently fill the frame act as a sort of externalization of his survivor’s guilt.
—Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for externalization
Noun
-
Consciously choosing the design of this polish, applying it calmly, and visualizing your wishes for the new year transforms the manicure into an act of self-care and manifestation.—
Andrea Carbajal,
Glamour,
6 Jan. 2026
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In the Eastern rites of the Catholic Church, Theophany, which the holiday is often called in Eastern countries, celebrates the manifestation of Jesus’ divinity in addition to his baptism, according to The Catholic Witness.—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
5 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The size can easily be adjusted by simply moving the projector closer to or farther away from the surface upon which the image is projected.—
Maggie Horton,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
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This structure can diffract light and degrade image quality.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Externalization.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/externalization. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
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