organize

American  

[awr-guh-nahyz] / ˈɔr gəˌnaɪz /

especially British, organise

verb (used with object)

organized, organizing

1. to form as or into a whole consisting of interdependent or coordinated parts, especially for united action.

   to organize a committee.

   Synonyms:

   frame, dispose

   Antonyms:

   destroy

2. to systematize.

   to organize the files of an office.

   Synonyms:

   order

3. to give organic structure or character to.

   Cells become differentiated and organized into tissues.

4. to enlist or attempt to enlist into a labor union.

   to organize workers.

5. to enlist the employees of (a company) into a labor union; unionize.

   to organize a factory.

6. Informal. to put (oneself ) in a state of mental competence to perform a task.

   We can't have any slip-ups, so you'd better get organized.

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verb (used without object)

organized, organizing

1. to combine in an organized company, party, or the like.

2. to form a labor union.

   Management resisted all efforts to organize.

3. to assume organic structure.

organize British  

/ ˈɔːɡəˌnaɪz /

verb

1. to form (parts or elements of something) into a structured whole; coordinate

2. (tr) to arrange methodically or in order

3. (tr) to provide with an organic structure

4. (tr) to enlist (the workers) of (a factory, concern, or industry) in a trade union

5. (intr) to join or form an organization or trade union

6. informal (tr) to put (oneself) in an alert and responsible frame of mind

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Other Word Forms

• misorganize verb
• organizability noun
• organizable adjective
• outorganize verb (used with object)
• preorganize verb
• unorganizable adjective

Etymology

Origin of organize

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Medieval Latin organizāre “to contrive, arrange,” equivalent to organ(um) organ + -izāre -ize

Example Sentences

The study, published in Nature Communications, challenges long-held ideas about how cells organize and deliver proteins to specific locations.

From Science Daily • Apr. 1, 2026

Also: organize, learn from the experiences of other platforms.

From Slate • Apr. 1, 2026

An upstart competitor would have to gain access to a customer’s data and organize it.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

Since Indivisible is a national partner in the leaderless No Kings movement, Manetta and Staton went on to organize No Kings events in their communities.

From Salon • Mar. 28, 2026

Laborers in the Cripple Creek mining district would not organize and win their rights for another generation.

From "Fannie Never Flinched" by Mary Cronk Farrell

Related Words

• construct
• coordinate
• create
• establish
• form
• formulate
• regulate
• run
• set up