organize

American  

[awr-guh-nahyz] / ˈɔr gəˌnaɪz /

especially British, organise

verb (used with object)

• organizes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• organized,
  past participle,  past
• organizing
  present participle

1. to form as or into a whole consisting of interdependent or coordinated parts, especially for united action.

   to organize a committee.

   Synonyms:

   frame, dispose

   Antonyms:

   destroy

2. to systematize.

   to organize the files of an office.

   Synonyms:

   order

3. to give organic structure or character to.

   Cells become differentiated and organized into tissues.

4. to enlist or attempt to enlist into a labor union.

   to organize workers.

5. to enlist the employees of (a company) into a labor union; unionize.

   to organize a factory.

6. Informal. to put (oneself ) in a state of mental competence to perform a task.

   We can't have any slip-ups, so you'd better get organized.

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verb (used without object)

• organizes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• organized,
  past participle,  past
• organizing
  present participle

1. to combine in an organized company, party, or the like.

2. to form a labor union.

   Management resisted all efforts to organize.

3. to assume organic structure.

organize British  

/ ˈɔːɡəˌnaɪz /

verb

1. to form (parts or elements of something) into a structured whole; coordinate

2. (tr) to arrange methodically or in order

3. (tr) to provide with an organic structure

4. (tr) to enlist (the workers) of (a factory, concern, or industry) in a trade union

5. (intr) to join or form an organization or trade union

6. informal (tr) to put (oneself) in an alert and responsible frame of mind

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• organizability
  noun
• misorganize
  verb
• preorganize
  verb
• outorganize
  verb (used with object)
• organizable
  adjective
• unorganizable
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• organizing
  present
• organized
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• organize
  simple
• organizes
  simple
• have organized
  perfect
• has organized
  perfect
• am organizing
  progressive
• are organizing
  progressive
• is organizing
  progressive
• have been organizing
  perfect progressive
• has been organizing
  perfect progressive

Past

• organized
  simple
• had organized
  perfect
• was organizing
  progressive
• were organizing
  progressive
• had been organizing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will organize
  simple
• will have organized
  perfect
• will be organizing
  progressive
• will have been organizing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of organize

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Medieval Latin organizāre “to contrive, arrange,” equivalent to organ(um) organ + -izāre -ize

Explanation

If you systematically put something in order, you organize it. Your family might not understand the way you organize your kitchen if you keep shoelaces, dental floss, and a screwdriver in your silverware drawer. The verb organize also means to plan or orchestrate something. If you've agreed to organize the German club's bake sale, you'll probably spend some serious time transporting cupcakes and linzer torte to school. When a group of workers forms a union, this action is also described with the verb organize. The International Ladies Garment Workers Union, for example, was organized in 1900 in New York City by immigrant factory workers.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

organize organizes organized organizing

Those abilities help people hold information in mind, stay focused, plan, and organize.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 4, 2026

“I think that the ability to organize and to help other people see themselves in the party is to also give them that representation.”

From Salon ● Oct. 2, 2026

She focused much of her tenure working to update labor laws to allow federal workers to organize, bargain with employers and establish monetary penalties for labor violations.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

Ed Negra, a retired homeowner in Hazle Township who is helping organize opposition to the data center, said the $10,000 offer might end up backfiring.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 27, 2026

It’s a good thing I make such detailed outlines for my research papers, because I knew how to organize my thoughts and start making sense of what I was feeling.

From "Liar, Liar" by Gary Paulsen

In theory at least, this saves people time and organizes their lives with less effort.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

Under the right conditions, microscopic black holes could also form when spacetime enters an unusual critical state and organizes into a repeating, crystal-like pattern.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 30, 2026

The 32-year-old is a member of the parish’s Guadalupana committee, which organizes the festivities and prayers around the Virgin of Guadalupe’s feast day every December.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2026

"There is chaos because some people don't even know what district they might be in now," said the pastor, who organizes civic education sessions for congregants.

From Barron's ● Aug. 8, 2026

Lourdes lines the display cases with paper doilies and organizes the croissants and coffee rings.

From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García

I even organized outings for his table mates, calling them Seniors on the Run.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026

The pallets will be organized so store workers can pull them to a single aisle, and the items can be unloaded in the order they are stocked on shelves.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

“Families are purchasing an organized competitive experience and, at certain events, scouting and recruiting exposure,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026

The nearby Jefferson drill site, which Redeemer Community Partnership also organized against, elected to shut down in 2018 after the city ordered it to implement stronger health protections.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2026

Everything had been organized and, by 6:00 a.m. the next day, the mission had begun.

From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow

Now she’s returning the favor by asking a German state leader to grease the organizing wheels for the UAW at a Mercedes-Benz plant in Vance, Ala.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026

The startup Manus AI, which Meta once sought to buy, has its own platform for organizing a team of big-eyed AI avatars which, like Dots, come in various shapes and colors and can emote.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 3, 2026

It could also offer new insight into how simple molecules began organizing themselves into increasingly complex systems long before modern cells appeared.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 2, 2026

That is borne out in research, which shows relational organizing works because young people trust their neighbors or community networks far more than national parties.

From Salon ● Oct. 2, 2026

“I want to thank the parents for organizing this meeting and for encouraging me to say a few words about the school mascot. My friend Stephanie Bergner couldn’t make it tonight.”

From "Here to Stay" by Sara Farizan

Related Words

• construct
• coordinate
• create
• establish
• form
• formulate
• regulate
• run
• set up