externalize

American  

[ik-stur-nl-ahyz] / ɪkˈstɜr nlˌaɪz /

especially British, externalise

verb (used with object)

externalized, externalizing

1. to make external; embody in an outward form.

2. to regard as consisting of externals.

3. to regard or treat as being caused by externals; attribute to external causes.

   to externalize one's difficulties.

4. to direct (the personality) outward in social relationships.

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externalize British  

/ ɪkˈstɪərɪəˌraɪz, ɪkˈstɜːnəˌlaɪz /

verb

1. to make external; give outward shape to

2. psychol to attribute (one's own feelings) to one's surroundings

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Other Word Forms

• externalization
  noun
• nonexternalized
  adjective
• semiexternalized
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of externalize

First recorded in 1850–55; external + -ize

Explanation

If you externalize something, you show or express it on the outside. You can externalize your anger at the poor quality of the food at the restaurant, but the other patrons would probably prefer you didn't rant at the waiter in front of them — so would the waiter. Psychologically speaking, externalize is the opposite of internalize. You can externalize your fears in a constructive way by writing about them or drawing them, which will help you make sense of them. This is a much better solution than internalizing your fears, because you need to face them and deal with them once and for all. If you keep them bottled up, it is just like to cause you anxiety.

Example Sentences

“The economic pain is worse, but Iran has found a way during the course of the war to externalize that pain,” Batmanghelidj said.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026

For Rodrigo, music is a vehicle for “expressing those feelings that are really hard to externalize, or that you feel aren’t societally acceptable to externalize,” she told the New York Times.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 24, 2023

But there are certain people that become so frenzied around human beings that are compelled to externalize their inner life, and there’s a jealousy thing that drives people crazy.

From Seattle Times • May 25, 2022

It’s a fun, flashy role for Carpenter, but it does little dramatically except to rehash Dexter’s past torments and manically externalize his inner state, which is already amply told-not-shown through the series’s voice-over.

From New York Times • Nov. 4, 2021

“That’s what I mean. You have to tell me everything, externalize it all for me, so I can write it.”

From "The River" by Gary Paulsen