normalization

British  

/ ˌnɔːməlaɪˈzeɪʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of normalizing

2. 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

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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

See Examples For:

normalization

Still, the recent uptick in oil flows could be just the beginning of the normalization.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 21, 2026

Afterward, Connolly said she told Trump that “the normalization of war and genocide can never be accepted,” citing Ireland’s own history of famine, colonization and the Troubles.

From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2026

He also said it was a normalization of rate markets from the dysfunctionally low era that followed the global financial crisis of 2008.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 1, 2026

Near-term earnings are likely to remain sensitive to oil-price normalization after exceptionally strong 1H results, while the rise in all-in costs could soften operating leverage, it says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026

I’d gotten a little more than I bargained for when I’d agreed to join Jules’s campaign for normalization.

From "Tradition" by Brendan Kiely

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