materialize

verb

ma·​te·​ri·​al·​ize mə-ˈtir-ē-ə-ˌlīz 

materialized; materializing

transitive verb

1

a

: to make material : objectify

b

: to cause to appear in bodily form

materialize the spirits of the dead

2

: to cause to be materialistic

intransitive verb

1

: to assume bodily form

2

a

: to appear especially suddenly

b

: to come into existence

materializer noun

Synonyms of materialize

• begin
• originate
• arise
• start
• appear
• commence
• be
• emerge

Examples of materialize in a Sentence

A waiter suddenly materialized beside our table.

Rain clouds materialized on the horizon.

Recent Examples on the Web

But with clear progress failing to materialize by the end of the day, energy prices resumed rising. —Rebecca Shabad, NBC news, 26 Mar. 2026

But any contribution from that force would take weeks to materialize because of time taken to get to that part of the world by ship. —Abc News, ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026

The consequences of the current policy shift are already materializing. —Jeff Coller, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2026

Elsewhere, Brazil and Mexico agreed to jointly explore deepwater sites in the Gulf of Mexico, though any potential crude output could take years to materialize. —Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 25 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1710, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Rhymes for materialize

• contextualize
• industrialize
• materialise
• memorialize
• microenterprise
• overemphasize
• particularize
• revolutionise
• revolutionize
• actualize
• antagonize
• apologise

Kids Definition

materialize

verb

ma·​te·​ri·​al·​ize mə-ˈtir-ē-ə-ˌlīz 

materialized; materializing

1

: to give material form and substance to

2

: to assume or cause to assume bodily form

a ghost materialized out of nowhere

3

a

: to come into existence

a promise that never materialized

b

: to appear suddenly