maximize

American

[mak-suh-mahyz] / ˈmæk səˌmaɪz /

especially British, maximise

verb (used with object)

maximized, maximizing

to increase to the greatest possible amount or degree.

to look for ways of maximizing profit.
to represent at the highest possible estimate; magnify.

He maximized his importance in the program, minimizing the contributions of the other participants.
to make the greatest or fullest use of.

Maximize your time by planning ahead.

maximize British

/ ˈmæksɪˌmaɪz /

verb

(tr) to make as high or great as possible; increase to a maximum
maths to find the maximum of (a function)

"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

Other Word Forms

maximation noun
maximization noun
maximizer noun

Etymology

Origin of maximize

First recorded in 1795–1805; maxim(um) + -ize

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.

“My goal has always been to maximize internet access and make use of resources that would otherwise lie fallow.”

From The Wall Street Journal

“In a competitive holiday season, paying attention to both rate and benefits is the key to truly maximizing value.”

From MarketWatch

That knowledge has led to strategies—which GLP-1 patients have been discussing in internet chat rooms and on social-media sites—to skip or delay doses to maximize appetites for the feast.

From The Wall Street Journal

The goal is maximizing time profitably spent navigating the markets.

From Barron's

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023