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.
But despite signs of normalization in the refining sector, Yilmaz said he doesn’t necessarily expect a straight-line decline from here because product markets remain tight and geopolitical risks are still significant.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 28, 2026
Still, the recent uptick in oil flows could be just the beginning of the normalization.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 21, 2026
“We remain in an era of normalization, with population growth of just above zero expected through 2027, before settling back to a baseline of just under 1%,” said Bank of Montreal senior economist Robert Kavcic.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026
Pent-up demand from Middle East patients and the normalization of Cambodian patient revenue from a low base starting in July should bolster the Thai hospital sector, the analysts add.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 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
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
