as in to popularize
to use so much as to make less appealing
the composer's masterpiece has been hopelessly vulgarized by its use in countless TV commercials
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of vulgarize
His versions were full-blooded, with lush strings and reasonably large orchestras — and, purists alleged — vulgarizing distortions.
—
BostonGlobe.com, 28 Oct. 2019
Ever since his rise to power, Trump has served as a vulgarizing agent.
—Leon Neyfakh, Slate Magazine, 2 June 2017
BostonGlobe.com, 28 Oct. 2019
Ever since his rise to power, Trump has served as a vulgarizing agent.
—Leon Neyfakh, Slate Magazine, 2 June 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vulgarize
Verb
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As recent immigrants, Jews played the game in their dense urban neighborhoods and helped popularize it with traveling teams up and down the East Coast.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
18 Feb. 2026
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His father, Gene Van Dyke, helped popularize surfing in Northern California.—
Corky Siemaszko,
NBC news,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Kelly Enders-Tharp, a three-time surrogate and education and experience specialist at Growing Generations, explains that surrogates are often stereotyped, or that their backgrounds are misrepresented.—
Kris Ann Valdez,
Parents,
13 Feb. 2026
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Many of the musicians and audience members belonged to a generation that’s often stereotyped as languishing in apathy and isolation—but whose indignation about the suffering in Gaza has far outpaced that of other generations.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Dallas’ blue line has more depth in terms of numbers, but its top three producers have been overused.—
Lia Assimakopoulos,
Dallas Morning News,
1 Mar. 2026
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Where younger adults tend to become isolated after overusing smartphones, older adults tend to turn to phones after cognitive declines or being isolated from family and friends.—
Emily Kwong,
NPR,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Journalists related stories to Brown of the future princess giving them the slip, joking with them, managing her media relations so she wouldn’t be overexposed or maligned.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
23 Feb. 2026
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Many people damage their nails by picking at their cuticles, for example, or drying them out by overexposing them to water.—
Andee Tagle,
NPR,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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For instance, if a textbook bores you, try watching a documentary!—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
6 Mar. 2026
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This just proves why schemers are so much more entertaining than boring ass Joe.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Vulgarize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vulgarize. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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