socialize

American  

[soh-shuh-lahyz] / ˈsoʊ ʃəˌlaɪz /

especially British, socialise

verb (used with object)

• socializes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• socialized,
  past participle,  past
• socializing
  present participle

1. to make social; make fit for life in companionship with others.

2. to make socialistic; establish or regulate according to the theories of socialism.

3. Education. to treat as a group activity.

   to socialize spelling quizzes.

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verb (used without object)

• socializes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• socialized,
  past participle,  past
• socializing
  present participle

1. to associate or mingle sociably with others.

   to socialize with one's fellow workers.

socialize British  

/ ˈsəʊʃəˌlaɪz /

verb

1. (intr) to behave in a friendly or sociable manner

2. (tr) to prepare for life in society

3. (tr) to alter or create so as to be in accordance with socialist principles, as by nationalization

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• socializer
  noun
• resocialize
  verb
• oversocialize
  verb (used with object)
• socializable
  adjective
• unsocializable
  adjective
• unsocialized
  adjective
• unsocializing
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• socializing
  present
• socialized
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• socialize
  simple
• socializes
  simple
• have socialized
  perfect
• has socialized
  perfect
• am socializing
  progressive
• are socializing
  progressive
• is socializing
  progressive
• have been socializing
  perfect progressive
• has been socializing
  perfect progressive

Past

• socialized
  simple
• had socialized
  perfect
• was socializing
  progressive
• were socializing
  progressive
• had been socializing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will socialize
  simple
• will have socialized
  perfect
• will be socializing
  progressive
• will have been socializing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of socialize

First recorded in 1820–30; social + -ize

Explanation

When you socialize, you participate in activities in a group setting. If you have been studying alone for some time, you might take a break at the coffee shop to socialize with some friends. You can socialize somebody else, or educate her in social patterns. Parents socialize their kids through their upbringing, and clubs often socialize their members through a uniform. If you want to hang out with motorcyclists, you might want to dress in leather. It is also possible to socialize institutions, where benefits are open to a wide section of society. If voters socialize medicine, that service becomes available to all at government expense.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

socialize socializes socialized socializing

Meals can be a time to socialize and deepen bonds with family and friends.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 16, 2026

“Champions are the ones who socialize the broader potential of AI,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026

Desperate to help her socialize, Bonnie’s parents weigh the costs of getting her a tablet, reluctantly adding one to their cart.

From Salon ● Jun. 21, 2026

“They need to have places to socialize properly,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2026

Humans socialize in the largest groups of all primates because we are the only animals with brains large enough to handle the complexities of that social arrangement.

From "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell

His neighbors include Tom Brady and Jeff Bezos, though Icahn rarely socializes or goes to the island’s exclusive club.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2025

He works in an office plaza, lives in a shoebox apartment with vellum-thin walls and socializes at his choice of nearby casual dining establishments with names like Flingers and Chotchkie’s Bar & Grill.

From Salon ● Mar. 1, 2024

The group shoots and socializes near the Spheres for 15 minutes before embarking on a walk through downtown.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 29, 2023

Mr. Khan socializes with F.B.I. agents, prison guards, military lawyers and top prison officials during “religious feasts, social meetings and meetings regarding detention-related issues,” Colonel Jemmott said in an affidavit.

From New York Times ● Aug. 9, 2022

I start to see that the Internet is the way she travels; the way she socializes; the way she feels like part of things.

From "The Running Dream" by Wendelin Van Draanen

“I think having been socialized like so many other women, that we’re supposed to support men, I said: ‘Oh, it’s okay Cesar,’” she told the interviewer.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 18, 2026

I was socialized in the crucible of millennial progressivism.

From Slate ● Feb. 12, 2026

Black socialized with Jeffrey Epstein and turned to him for tax- and estate-planning advice.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 11, 2026

Men — and this is not an excuse — are often not socialized to step in on these terms.

From MarketWatch ● Dec. 29, 2025

The point is not that without that salon blacks wouldn’t have socialized with whites on the North Side.

From "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell

Speaking of that: It’s not too late to join our series of challenges to help you rediscover the beauty of socializing in a pre-smartphone era.

From Slate ● Aug. 20, 2026

So after reading what felt like the hundredth article declaring that my generation had abandoned alcohol, nightlife and socializing altogether, I started wondering whether I was missing something.

From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026

The findings suggest that everyday patterns, such as waking, eating, working, socializing, and going to bed at similar times, may support better overall well-being.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 31, 2026

“Hard socializing is over. Gen Z wants soft socializing: quieter, cheaper, sober-optional and good for their health,” said Libby Rodney, chief strategy officer and futurist at the Harris Poll.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 29, 2026

Moss didn’t feel much like socializing, so he pulled an apple out of his bag that he’d grabbed on the way out the door that morning.

From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro

Related Words

• entertain
• get around
• mingle