mobilize

American  

[moh-buh-lahyz] / ˈmoʊ bəˌlaɪz /

especially British, mobilise

verb (used with object)

• mobilizes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• mobilized,
  past participle,  past
• mobilizing
  present participle

1. to assemble or marshal (armed forces, military reserves, or civilian persons of military age) into readiness for active service.

2. to organize or adapt (industries, transportation facilities, etc.) for service to the government in time of war.

3. to marshal, bring together, prepare (power, force, wealth, etc.) for action, especially of a vigorous nature.

   to mobilize one's energy.

4. to increase or bring to a full stage of development.

   to mobilize one's anger.

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verb (used without object)

• mobilizes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• mobilized,
  past participle,  past
• mobilizing
  present participle

1. to be or become assembled, organized, etc., as for war.

   to mobilize for action.

mobilize British  

/ ˈməʊbɪˌlaɪz /

verb

1. to prepare for war or other emergency by organizing (national resources, the armed services, etc)

2. (tr) to organize for a purpose; marshal

3. (tr) to put into motion, circulation, or use

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• mobilization
  noun
• mobilizer
  noun
• overmobilize
  verb
• remobilize
  verb
• mobilizable
  adjective
• unmobilized
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• mobilizing
  present
• mobilized
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• mobilize
  simple
• mobilizes
  simple
• have mobilized
  perfect
• has mobilized
  perfect
• am mobilizing
  progressive
• are mobilizing
  progressive
• is mobilizing
  progressive
• have been mobilizing
  perfect progressive
• has been mobilizing
  perfect progressive

Past

• mobilized
  simple
• had mobilized
  perfect
• was mobilizing
  progressive
• were mobilizing
  progressive
• had been mobilizing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will mobilize
  simple
• will have mobilized
  perfect
• will be mobilizing
  progressive
• will have been mobilizing
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of mobilize

First recorded in 1830–40; back formation from mobilization; see mobile, -ization

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Explanation

Use the verb mobilize to describe preparing something — or someone — to spring into action, or to be put into use. You might mobilize the troops, or even your classmates, into action. A busy mother might mobilize her kids to grab their lunches and head out to the bus stop on time, and a detective might mobilize her resources before tracking down a wily criminal. Mobilize literally means "make mobile," and the Latin root is mobilis, "movable, pliable, or flexible."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

mobilize mobilizes mobilized mobilizing

Machado, who slipped out of hiding in Venezuela last December to receive her Nobel, said she had returned home to "mobilize society."

From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2026

The findings suggest that sauna bathing may temporarily mobilize immune cells that normally remain in tissues, allowing them to circulate more widely throughout the body.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 28, 2026

Any campaign’s quest to mobilize additional voters, therefore, must find them among citizens without a strong sense of civic duty.

From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2026

Gov. Gavin Newsom last month declared a state of emergency, saying he wanted to mobilize state resources to “prepare for El Niño’s anticipated impacts, like strong storms and coastal flooding.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026

They lacked, it seemed, the capacity to mobilize.

From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin

At its best, liberalism in America focuses attention on the gap between principles and practices and mobilizes public support to close these gaps.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 2, 2026

Development Finance Corporation, a government agency that typically mobilizes capital for investment in developing countries, will provide discounted political risk insurance and guarantees for maritime transit.

From Barron's ● Mar. 5, 2026

He has also served as the executive director of Global Justice, an organization that educates and mobilizes students around global human rights and economic justice.

From Salon ● Feb. 11, 2025

Art mobilizes against bullets, bombs and tanks in “Porcelain War,” a documentary about how beauty not only persists amid the wreckage of warfare but serves as a necessary existential weapon of its own.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 6, 2025

“Look how El Lider mobilizes the people to protect his causes,” Jorge del Pino told his daughter.

From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García

“We mobilized our team and literally went door to door for weeks,” Lehmkuhl said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026

Gold reserves in New York and Ottawa couldn’t be mobilized as quickly, the bank added.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026

“Immediately, people mobilized to rebuild,” says Sergii Polituchyi, founder and president of Faktor Cos.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026

Colombians outside the quake zone have mobilized in massive numbers to ease victims' suffering.

From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026

“Good morning, sir,” Ignatius said brusquely, his searf-shawl flying horizontally in his wake like the flag of some mobilized Scottish clan.

From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole

It concludes that the true challenge for Newsom is not just securing the nomination, but mobilizing disaffected and disengaged voters who may otherwise sit out another election.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026

As the government focused on its next step, foreign relief organizations were mobilizing to the earthquake zone to help survivors.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026

“I’ve been doing this work for 30 years, and I’ve never seen anything like this. ...People from San Diego up to Eureka and Humboldt, everybody is mobilizing because everybody realizes what’s at risk.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026

The group is expected to focus on door-to-door canvassing, digital advertising and direct mail aimed at mobilizing conservative voters who are less likely to participate in non-presidential elections.

From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026

The only other means of mobilizing people rapidly and entirely is with a new religion; none was handy; he would make do with war.

From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin

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Related Words

• assemble
• marshal
• organize
• prepare

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