socialize
Americanverb (used with object)
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to make social; make fit for life in companionship with others.
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to make socialistic; establish or regulate according to the theories of socialism.
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Education. to treat as a group activity.
to socialize spelling quizzes.
verb (used without object)
verb
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(intr) to behave in a friendly or sociable manner
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(tr) to prepare for life in society
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(tr) to alter or create so as to be in accordance with socialist principles, as by nationalization
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of socialize
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.
Vocabulary lists containing socialize
"Curtis Aikens and the American Dream" and "Go For It!"
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"La Vida Robot" and "Reading, Writing and... Recreation"
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for February 5–February 11, 2022
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Twenty-somethings are drinking less, exercising more—and changing the way they socialize with others.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026
Book clubs would mean assigned reading, the opinions of others shaping my reading experience, having to socialize, the opposite of solitude.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026
Consumers have cut back spending—thanks to higher prices, and a shift toward healthier habits and alternative ways to relax and socialize.
From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026
Most people don’t socialize outside their socioeconomic class, says Emily Bianchi, a professor at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School.
From MarketWatch • Jan. 29, 2026
She understood that his ability to socialize after an attack was erratic at times, and she never pushed him to do anything he felt uncomfortable with.
From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
