contextualize

American  

[kuhn-teks-choo-uh-lahyz] / kənˈtɛks tʃu əˌlaɪz /

especially British, contextualise

verb (used with object)

contextualized, contextualizing

1. to put (a linguistic element, an action, etc.) in a context, especially one that is characteristic or appropriate, as for purposes of study.

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contextualize British  

/ kənˈtɛkstjʊəˌlaɪz /

verb

1. (tr) to state the social, grammatical, or other context of; put into context

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Other Word Forms

• contextualization noun
• noncontextualized adjective

Etymology

Origin of contextualize

First recorded in 1930–35; contextual + -ize

Example Sentences

Mr. Russell helps readers contextualize James’s reputation, which has been pickled in generations of macho nonsense.

From The Wall Street Journal

Comparing car prices to income can help contextualize how price changes impact families.

From Barron's

The MFA assembled 14 of these, contextualized by self-portraits, Japanese prints, works by artists Van Gogh admired, and paintings by Paul Gauguin, who joined his friend in the south toward the end of 1888.

From The Wall Street Journal

What you can see at the Deitch show, running through Jan. 17, is an artist contextualizing the people he loves within art history, while preserving their legacies for the record.

From Los Angeles Times

Citizens are citing executive actions, federal deployments and enforcement orders to contextualize the warning.

From Salon