crystallize

American  

[kris-tl-ahyz] / ˈkrɪs tlˌaɪz /

especially British, crystallise

verb (used with object)

crystallized, crystallizing

1. to form into crystals; cause to assume crystalline form.

2. to give definite or concrete form to.

   to crystallize an idea.

3. to coat with sugar.

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verb (used without object)

crystallized, crystallizing

1. to form crystals; become crystalline in form.

2. to assume definite or concrete form.

crystallize British  

/ ˈkrɪstəˌlaɪz /

verb

1. to form or cause to form crystals; assume or cause to assume a crystalline form or structure

2. to coat or become coated with sugar

   crystallized fruit

3. to give a definite form or expression to (an idea, argument, etc) or (of an idea, argument, etc) to assume a recognizable or definite form

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Other Word Forms

• crystallizability
  noun
• crystallizable
  adjective
• crystallization
  noun
• crystallizer
  noun
• noncrystallizable
  adjective
• noncrystallized
  adjective
• noncrystallizing
  adjective
• uncrystallizable
  adjective
• uncrystallized
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of crystallize

First recorded in 1590–1600; crystall- + -ize

Example Sentences

Even the Piker issue—the one that seems to crystallize so much of the anxiety there—he treated as over-indexed.

From Slate • Apr. 29, 2026

“It would be very surprising to markets if the Fed tried to crystallize gains. Most experts would tell you it’s highly unlikely. I would tell you it is highly unlikely,” Cabana said.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 18, 2026

Rio Tinto was unwilling to stretch too far on a premium for long-dated copper options “at cycle-peak prices, while Glencore refused to crystallize its copper growth pipeline upfront,” says Peker.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 6, 2026

Outlook statements from the wave of earnings reports expected over the next two weeks will crystallize that view.

From Barron's • Jan. 19, 2026

Images crystallize ideas—and the image of a double-helical molecule that carried the instructions to build, run, repair, and reproduce humans crystallized the optimism and wonder of the 1950s.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee