normalization
Britishnoun
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the act or process of normalizing
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social welfare the policy of offering mentally or physically handicapped people patterns, conditions, and experiences of everyday life as close as possible to those of nonhandicapped people, by not segregating them physically, socially, and administratively from the rest of society
Explanation
Taking something that's out of whack or atypical and bringing it back to an ordinary state is normalization. When two countries in conflict agree to sign a truce, it signifies the normalization of their relationship. Normalization is often used in a political context, for relations between nations, but you can use it for anything that's returned to normal after going off the rails. The normalization of a new parent's sleep schedule can sometimes take years. Another way to use this word is to mean "treating something bizarre as though it's normal." You may be shocked at the normalization of foul language on television — and dismayed at your family's normalization of eating dinner at 4:30 p.m.
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.
Asked whether Saudi Arabia was considering joining the Abraham Accords, the US-brokered normalization agreements with Israel, Trump said: "We haven't talked, no."
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
If Washington "tries to force normalization on Riyadh, it's not likely to work out very well", said H.A.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
However, as long as Gulf shipping, regional exports and broader geopolitical tensions remain below full normalization, “some residual risk premium” in oil prices is likely to persist even if volatility continues to decline, he added.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 2, 2026
Energy markets are pricing a partial normalization rather than a complete return to pre-war conditions, Siebert Financial’s chief investment officer Mark Malek says in a note.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 24, 2026
“You help me with this new normalization campaign, and I’ll help you with that paper you almost failed.”
From "Tradition" by Brendan Kiely
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.
