capitalize

[ kap-i-tl-ahyz ]
See synonyms for capitalize on Thesaurus.com
verb (used with object),cap·i·tal·ized, cap·i·tal·iz·ing.
  1. to write or print in capital letters letters or with an initial capital letter.

  2. to authorize a certain amount of stocks and bonds in the corporate charter of: to capitalize a corporation.

  1. to issue stock as a dividend, thereby capitalizing retained earnings, or as settlement of an unpaid arrearage of preferred dividends.

  2. Accounting. to set up (expenditures) as business assets in the books of account instead of treating as expense.

  3. to supply with capital.

  4. to estimate the value of (a stock or an enterprise).

verb (used without object),cap·i·tal·ized, cap·i·tal·iz·ing.
  1. to take advantage of; turn something to one's advantage (often followed by on): to capitalize on one's opportunities.

Origin of capitalize

1
An Americanism dating back to 1755–65; capital1 + -ize
  • Also especially British, cap·i·tal·ise .

Other words for capitalize

Other words from capitalize

  • cap·i·tal·iz·a·ble, adjective
  • cap·i·tal·iz·er, noun
  • non·cap·i·tal·ized, adjective
  • un·cap·i·tal·ized, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use capitalize in a sentence

  • People everywhere are swinging away from great vague capitalized causes toward a cooler and clearer view of life.

    The Sensitive Man | Poul William Anderson
  • At length, however, the smaller operators gave up in despair, until only one heavily capitalized company remained at work.

    The Moon Metal | Garrett P. Serviss
  • Every such person learned early in life what kind of car he was and capitalized its natural tendencies.

    How to Analyze People on Sight | Elsie Lincoln Benedict and Ralph Paine Benedict
  • This tendency has long been capitalized by women but is not so much enjoyed by men.

    How to Analyze People on Sight | Elsie Lincoln Benedict and Ralph Paine Benedict
  • Like all the concerns forming this group it was considerably over-capitalized.

    United States Steel | Arundel Cotter

British Dictionary definitions for capitalize

capitalize

capitalise

/ (ˈkæpɪtəˌlaɪz) /


verb(mainly tr)
  1. (intr foll by on) to take advantage (of); profit (by)

  2. to write or print (text) in capital letters or with the first letter of (a word or words) in capital letters

  1. to convert (debt or retained earnings) into capital stock

  2. to authorize (a business enterprise) to issue a specified amount of capital stock

  3. to provide with capital

  4. accounting to treat (expenditures) as assets

    • to estimate the present value of (a periodical income)

    • to compute the present value of (a business) from actual or potential earnings

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012