as in manifestation
a visible representation of something abstract (as a quality)
bizarre paintings that are the externalization of a very troubled psyche
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of externalization
Regardless, there’s a clear symbolism to Clark empathizing and embracing a bloated externalization of his own inchoate fury until someone with an outside perspective disturbs his peace, and that fury breaks loose and devours him.
—
Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 29 May 2026
The trade-off for that short-term satisfaction is the externalization of a thinking process that used to live inside a junior associate’s head.
—Jeff Raikes, Fortune, 15 Apr. 2026
The cumulative effect could be the gradual externalization of state capacity.
—Andrew Leahey, Forbes.com, 19 Mar. 2026
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
Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 29 May 2026
The trade-off for that short-term satisfaction is the externalization of a thinking process that used to live inside a junior associate’s head.
—Jeff Raikes, Fortune, 15 Apr. 2026
The cumulative effect could be the gradual externalization of state capacity.
—Andrew Leahey, Forbes.com, 19 Mar. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for externalization
Noun
-
The Cane Ridge Revival would become an epochal moment in American religious history, one of the most visible manifestations of what historians would later refer to as the Second Great Awakening.—
Michael Luo,
New Yorker,
14 June 2026
-
Jose Mourinho has been identified to amend that, a manifestation of the unique pressures that come when a club of this scope stops winning.—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
Michael Jordan’s audacious leaps over towering defenders, Kobe Bryant’s cold-blooded poise in the waning seconds of an NBA Finals game — these are the images that linger, the memories that shape the sport.—
Denny Alfonso,
New York Times,
12 Dec. 2025
-
But these videos and still images, which the forum says were filmed by Hamas, show part of the hostages’ time in the tunnels under Gaza.—
Dana Karni,
CNN Money,
12 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Externalization.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/externalization. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
