symbolize
Americanverb (used with object)
-
symbolizes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
symbolized,
past participle, past
-
symbolizing
present participle
verb (used without object)
-
symbolizes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
symbolized,
past participle, past
-
symbolizing
present participle
verb
-
(tr) to serve as or be a symbol of
-
to represent by a symbol or symbols
-
(intr) to use symbols
-
(tr) to treat or regard as symbolic or figurative
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
symbolizesimple
-
symbolizessimple
-
have symbolizedperfect
-
has symbolizedperfect
-
am symbolizingprogressive
-
are symbolizingprogressive
-
is symbolizingprogressive
-
have been symbolizingperfect progressive
-
has been symbolizingperfect progressive
Past
-
symbolizedsimple
-
had symbolizedperfect
-
was symbolizingprogressive
-
were symbolizingprogressive
-
had been symbolizingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of symbolize
From the New Latin word symbolizāre, dating back to 1580–90. See symbol, -ize
Explanation
Use the verb symbolize when you use an image, shape, color, or other simple visual to stand for something else, like when you wear black to symbolize that you're mourning a loss. To symbolize is to make a symbol out of something. Symbolize traces back to the Greek word symbolon, which combines syn-, meaning "together," and bol, meaning "to throw." The earliest Christians were, so to speak, "thrown together" because of their beliefs, and so the Christian "marks" that represented their belief in one God became the first items to be described as symbols.
Vocabulary lists containing symbolize
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Vocabulary to Describe Literary Devices
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
Built as part of efforts to modernize Venezuela, the buildings now symbolize the country's dire situation after twin quakes on Wednesday left nearly 1,500 people confirmed dead and tens of thousands missing.
From Barron's ● Jun. 29, 2026
Presidents not only symbolize and embody the values of the nation — they reveal them.
From Salon ● Jun. 2, 2026
The city owes more than its name to the first commander in chief; George Washington encouraged the French developer Pierre Charles L’Enfant to design a capital that would symbolize the nation.
From Slate ● May 18, 2026
“So I was incorporating things like the half doorway to symbolize their struggle.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 11, 2026
That it’s come to symbolize so much more.
From "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins
A: Ruth symbolizes what she herself expressed: decency.
From Barron's ● Mar. 19, 2026
Fink argues that the song reflects a time of centralized power within the music industry, but symbolizes a desire to escape.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 1, 2026
He sports a sword embedded in a cross on his forearm, which symbolizes the verse in which Christ says, “I came not to send peace, but a sword.”
From Salon ● Nov. 4, 2025
Rita Cofield from the Getty Conservation Institute said Stylesville symbolizes the enduring presence of the Black community in Pacoima.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2025
“This feather symbolizes respect and responsibility. No one must speak without this feather. When you hold this feather in your hand, speak honestly from your heart.”
From "Touching Spirit Bear" by Ben Mikaelsen
Writers and painters often symbolized the Virgin Mary’s immaculate purity by placing her within a hedge.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 21, 2026
She knew what “The Muppet Show” star symbolized and recognized what she meant to her misfit youngest, a zaftig kid frequently chided for taking up too much space.
From Salon ● Feb. 28, 2026
For generations, it has symbolized resilience and rural life, valued for its toughness, ability to graze on marginal land, and nutrient-dense milk that supported small farmers.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 26, 2026
Alary said other support-group members said they were emotional hearing about it as it symbolized an important moment and turning a corner.
From Slate ● Feb. 2, 2026
To us, Harlem symbolized the strength of resistance and the beauty of black pride.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
The soldiers are shadowed by an allegorical figure carrying poppies, symbolizing sleep—an analog, in the art of the time, for death—and a laurel branch symbolizing peace.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026
Tehran’s streets burst with shoppers perusing markets for flowers, painted eggs and confections for their “haft-sin” table, the traditional spread of seven items symbolizing spring, renewal and prosperity.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 24, 2026
Similar banners hang outside the Department of Labor and other federal buildings throughout Washington, D.C, symbolizing what’s happening at the Court and throughout the country.
From Salon ● Feb. 26, 2026
This mutual cooperation embodies the Japanese concept of "AUN," symbolizing balance and harmony between opposites.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 9, 2025
Cressen's fingers went to the chain about his neck, each link forged from a different metal, each symbolizing his mastery of another branch of learning; the maester's collar, mark of his order.
From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin
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.
