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

Etymology

Origin of monetize

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

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

The company has moved to monetize some of its real estate but rejected the takeover overture in 2024.

From Barron's • May 18, 2026

“We continue to expect agentic traffic to pick up in 2H, with opportunity to monetize on a pay-per-crawler basis, adding upside to estimates,” the analysts say.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026

For all types of bets, Polymarket and Kalshi make a simple pitch—users can monetize what they already know to make a quick buck—that has taken the world by storm.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026

In 2018, a guild called Method livestreamed its attempts, winning the tier and kickstarting a niche esport they could monetize, Tettleton said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 20, 2026

Wedbush analyst Dan Ives wrote in a Sunday note that Microsoft’s selloff had been “very disconnected” given the company’s opportunity to monetize AI in the coming years.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 15, 2026