monetize

American  

[mon-i-tahyz, muhn-] / ˈmɒn ɪˌtaɪz, ˈmʌn- /

especially British, monetise

verb (used with object)

monetized, monetizing

1. to legalize as money.

2. to coin into money.

   to monetize gold.

3. to give the character of money to.

4. Economics. to convert (a debt, especially the national debt) into currency, especially by issuing government securities or notes.

5. to make a profit or derive income from.

   Lots of people download the game, but the start-up hasn’t been able to monetize the add-on features.

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monetize British  

/ ˈmʌnɪˌtaɪz /

verb

1. to establish as the legal tender of a country

2. to give a legal value to (a coin)

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Other Word Forms

• monetization
  noun

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Etymology

Origin of monetize

First recorded in 1875–80; from Latin monēt(a) money + -ize

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Explanation

To monetize is to make money. If you write a popular blog, figure out how to monetize it so you don’t work for free. To monetize also means to establish a country's legal tender, as in to literally make money. The word money hides in monetize because it’s all about money. Establishing a new currency, or printing money, is what happens when a country monetizes, like when the European Union decided to monetize the Euro as its new currency. This verb is sometimes used to mean "exchange for money.” These days, monetize often refers to figuring out a way to make money from a website or app.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

monetize monetized monetizing

The results suggest that Google is struggling to monetize its artificial-intelligence investments, Ryan Lee, senior vice president of product and strategy at Direxion, wrote in a Wednesday note.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 28, 2026

Slower adoption could further complicate the search for revenue, particularly for companies already struggling to monetize the technology.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 25, 2026

The tech giant is pushing to monetize its multibillion-dollar AI investments by selling more tools and services to companies.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026

The company announced new capabilities for its Copilot app, part of its push to monetize its artificial intelligence.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026

That will likely lead to leftover computing power that Microsoft can monetize through third-party apps and customers, he added.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 23, 2026

In a statement, the Vulins said they were relieved by Thursday’s ruling but disappointed “the person who provoked this encounter with hate speech then filmed and monetized it, faces no consequences.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026

It’s also nostalgic in a way that finally seems imperative in today’s Hollywood that reeks of hollow, monetized sentimentality about its past.

From Salon ● Oct. 19, 2026

Alphabet is another: Google Cloud is growing rapidly, its backlog is expanding and AI is increasingly being monetized across search, cloud and enterprise software.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 10, 2026

Another groomfluencer, Ethan Lounsbury, 27, was stunned by how quickly he monetized his social media posts directed at husbands-to-be.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 19, 2026

IOI believed that Halliday never properly monetized his creation, and they wanted to remedy that.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline

Meta is already monetizing Muse’s growth, with subscription tiers costing $20 or $100 a month for heavier users.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026

“Effectively, what this fund is doing is monetizing that volatility and turning it into an income stream.”

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 18, 2026

Pinterest said its approach of not monetizing “brand-unsafe” search terms is standard in the industry.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026

As the company looks to unite designers, marketing and engineering teams, it’s also monetizing its growing user base.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026

Meta shares fell and Microsoft rallied after sending very different signals on how they’re monetizing their massive AI outlays.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026

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