modernize

verb

ˈmä-dər-ˌnīz How to pronounce modernize (audio)
Definition of modernizenext
as in to redesign
to adapt to modern needs, taste, or usage a proposal to modernize the old school and bring it into the 21st century

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 modernize From Fall 2019, Vaccarello’s collections began not only to recall Saint Laurent’s gestures, but to expand upon and modernize them — testing the extremes of the founder’s silhouettes and codes to generate almost unbearable visual tension. — Luke Leitch, Vogue, 9 Oct. 2026 General Motors has invested nearly $200 million in the past year to modernize internal skilled trade careers and manufacturing, engineering, and technician roles. — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026 The Coast Guard awarded a $400 million contract to modernize Training Center Cape May in New Jersey, marking the largest shore construction award in the service's history. — Michael Sinkewicz , Kelsie Cairns, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026 The upgrades include modernizing turbines, steam generators and control systems. — Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for modernize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for modernize
  1. redesign
  2. update
  3. streamline
  4. remake
Verb
  • More than once, a board told its stakeholders early and plainly that I had been hired to redesign the business and that the directors stood behind the changes.
    — Anna Maria Chavez, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2026
  • So far, around 1,000 existing locations have been redesigned in North America, with Starbucks planning to accelerate the face lifts.
    — Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of redesign
Verb
  • The goal was to increase the wear to 36 hours, update it with product technology such as an oil-controlling AlgaNiacin complex leveraged from its skin care labs, and offer a more natural matte finish.
    — Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The story has been updated to reflect that sales did not hit a record high in September.
    — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of update
Verb
  • Advocates have long viewed the model as a way to streamline governance by having small groups zero in on specific issues.
    — Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Panay has also streamlined the number of events the company holds and changed tactics for its hardware, which for years included a flurry of product launches.
    — Sebastian Herrera, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of streamline
Verb
  • Even though The Onion doesn’t technically own InfoWars yet (the deal is still tied up in Texas bankruptcy courts), the company is forging ahead with its vision to remake the conspiracy site in its own image.
    — Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The revelations add pressure on an intelligence establishment trying to remake itself after decades, and complicate Berlin’s efforts to counter Russia’s hybrid war, as lawmakers debate expanding the BND’s powers.
    — Morgan Chalfant, semafor.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of remake

Browse Nearby Words

modernity
modernize
modernized
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Cite this Entry

“Modernize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/modernize. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

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