normalize

American  

[nawr-muh-lahyz] / ˈnɔr məˌlaɪz /

especially British, normalise

verb (used with object)

• normalizes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• normalized,
  past participle,  past
• normalizing
  present participle

1. to make normal.

   Traditional Chinese medicine uses ginseng to normalize blood pressure.

2. to cause (something previously considered abnormal or unacceptable) to be treated as normal.

   I have to resist the impulse to normalize her eccentricities.

3. to establish or resume (relations) in a normal manner, as between countries.

4. Statistics. to mathematically transform or adjust (the values in a data set) so that they fit a standard measure or scale, such as by making all the values fall between 0 and 1.

   Data was normalized before analysis.

5. Metallurgy. to heat (a steel alloy) to a suitable temperature above the transformation range and then cool it in still air at ambient temperature.

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verb (used without object)

• normalizes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• normalized,
  past participle,  past
• normalizing
  present participle

1. to become normal; resume a normal state.

   Prices soon normalized after the war.

normalize British  

/ ˈnɔːməˌlaɪz /

verb

1. to bring or make into the normal state

2. to bring into conformity with a standard

3. to heat (steel) above a critical temperature and allow it to cool in air to relieve internal stresses; anneal

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• denormalization
  noun
• normalization
  noun
• overnormalization
  noun
• renormalization
  noun
• overnormalize
  verb (used with object)
• renormalize
  verb (used with object)
• unnormalized
  adjective
• unnormalizing
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• normalizing
  present
• normalized
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• normalize
  simple
• normalizes
  simple
• have normalized
  perfect
• has normalized
  perfect
• am normalizing
  progressive
• are normalizing
  progressive
• is normalizing
  progressive
• have been normalizing
  perfect progressive
• has been normalizing
  perfect progressive

Past

• normalized
  simple
• had normalized
  perfect
• was normalizing
  progressive
• were normalizing
  progressive
• had been normalizing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will normalize
  simple
• will have normalized
  perfect
• will be normalizing
  progressive
• will have been normalizing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of normalize

First recorded in 1860–65; normal + -ize

Explanation

If it's out of whack, totally crazy and absolutely bizarre, it should probably be normalized, or put back into a normal state. Something that's been normalized has been put back to normal, whether you're talking about the weather pattern or your sleep habits. Someone who likes to keep things in order is probably a fan of the word normalize. Stock brokers, for example, hate it when the stock market takes them on a wild, unpredictable ride; they'd much rather have things normalize and settle down.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

normalize normalizes normalized normalizing

Yes, it’s so valuable to teach our children to normalize repair and accountability, and to make it not such a massive deal to apologize.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026

Earnings are likely to normalize for the new year starting in October, due to the lack of major new game launches, Sato says, forecasting declines in game-segment sales and operating profit.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026

However, margin pressures in the quarter are likely transient, and the company’s cost structure should normalize and result in improving profitability, the analysts say.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026

“If even directionally accurate, this would suggest that the current favorable pricing environment is unlikely to normalize any time soon,” Slowinski said.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 7, 2026

Modern Spiritualism helped normalize female leadership—advancing the public power and wisdom of women’s voices.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

I think as everybody got older, they started getting desperate to work and make money, and that normalizes you.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 24, 2026

Most experts are working with the assumption that it will still take several weeks, if not months, before Middle Eastern production normalizes.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 25, 2026

“Our biggest call…on the assumption of an unrestricted Hormuz, is that the oil market normalizes far quicker than consensus expects,” Macquarie strategist Peter Taylor wrote in a research note.

From Barron's ● Jun. 24, 2026

Both sides condemn legalization, which exists in places like Amsterdam and which imposes a strong regulatory system—but for very different reasons: the first, because it normalizes exploitation and the latter because it limits free trade.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 21, 2026

Nichols normalizes the text, spells out several names in full, and adds several unimportant notes.

From Two Poems Against Pope One Epistle to Mr. A. Pope and the Blatant Beast by J. V. (Joseph V.) Guerinot

Among the newer sources of tourism demand in recent years have been Israeli travelers, whose numbers surged after the countries normalized relations in 2020, helped by visa-free travel and frequent direct flights.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026

The International Energy Agency recently pushed its timeline for normalized Middle East energy flows into 2027 from late 2026 previously.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 19, 2026

"We feel abandoned, and we believe this march is a way to express that, despite the passage of time, we have not normalized the violence and we want peace."

From Barron's ● Sep. 13, 2026

Zverev, who followed brother Mischa, 9 years his senior, says traveling to pro events as a kid helped normalized the ATP Tour early.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026

It was a breathtaking moment, for in one sweeping action he had virtually normalized the situation in South Africa.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

“Given our baseline of normalizing inflation, peaking energy prices and more dovish central banks, 10-year bonds should gradually move from headwind to hedge in portfolios,” said the strategists.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 12, 2026

By the end, he managed to orchestrate the Abraham Accords, an agreement normalizing diplomatic relations between the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Israel.

From Salon ● Aug. 20, 2026

But to avoid feeling complicit or like we’re normalizing something we know to be harmful, there are discussions to be had—amongst ourselves at least.

From Slate ● Aug. 6, 2026

Since demand is still looking robust and jet fuel prices are normalizing, it remains to be seen how sticky this fare momentum will be, they say.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 16, 2026

“It’s not normalizing anything if everyone just pretends they don't see it or that the tampons don't exist.”

From "Tradition" by Brendan Kiely

Related Words

• assign
• conduct
• distribute
• establish
• file
• place
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