personalize
Americanverb (used with object)
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personalizes,
present (3rd person singular)
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personalized,
past participle, past
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personalizing
present participle
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to have marked with one's initials, name, or monogram.
to personalize stationery.
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to make personal, as by applying a general statement to oneself.
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to ascribe personal qualities to; personify.
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to design or tailor to meet an individual's specifications, needs, or preferences.
a personalized search engine;
personalized learning.
verb
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to endow with personal or individual qualities or characteristics
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to mark (stationery, clothing, etc) with a person's initials, name, etc
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to take (a remark, etc) personally
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another word for personify
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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personalizesimple
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personalizessimple
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have personalizedperfect
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has personalizedperfect
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am personalizingprogressive
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are personalizingprogressive
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is personalizingprogressive
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have been personalizingperfect progressive
-
has been personalizingperfect progressive
Past
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personalizedsimple
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had personalizedperfect
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was personalizingprogressive
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were personalizingprogressive
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had been personalizingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of personalize
Explanation
To personalize is to design something (or change it) so it's distinctly suited for one specific individual. You can personalize your locker by taping up family photos, or personalize your water bottle by writing your name on it in permanent marker. The verb personalize is often used to mean "make to meet your specific requirements," so a hotel might personalize your visit by leaving a note with chocolates on your pillow, or a barista might personalize your latte with a design on top that's specially made for you. You can also personalize things by putting a person's name or initials on them: "I bought letter patches so we can personalize our backpacks."
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.
See Examples For:
A big advantage for Amazon is its ability to personalize the shopping experience and leverage many years’ worth of consumer data.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 30, 2026
"We probably need to personalize protein recommendations based not just on age, but also on how physically active people are."
From Science Daily ● Aug. 2, 2026
The company said it does not engage in surveillance pricing, nor does it personalize fares for individual customers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2026
“By stripping out the ability to personalize or target them, you’re not really saving discounts at all,” Drew Ambrogi, a policy manager at Chamber of Progress, said in an interview with Salon.
From Salon ● May 18, 2026
Because we so profoundly personalize success, we miss opportunities to lift others onto the top rung.
From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell
“We’re really looking for founders who are building where technology personalizes the experience and optimizes the experience but doesn’t replace the experience,” Ferreira said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026
Your image of the virtual self personalizes your financial journey.
From MarketWatch ● May 12, 2026
Laughton effectively embodies and personalizes the deeply felt dialectic between Alex and Jesse.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 26, 2025
"It not only simplifies treatment by exploring single-dose schedules of antibody-drug conjugates but can also reduce side effects by minimizing the number of doses required. Additionally, it personalizes therapy using molecular imaging, enhancing treatment efficacy."
From Science Daily ● Oct. 13, 2023
The essence of the divine is Love, Will that personalizes and eternalizes, that feels the hunger for eternity and infinity.
From Tragic Sense Of Life by J. E. Crawford (John Ernest Crawford) Flitch
Unlike personalized cell therapies, which must be prepared separately using each patient's own cells, such products could potentially be produced in larger batches and made available to multiple patients.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026
For now, the model provides a research framework rather than a ready-to-use method for prescribing personalized diets.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 12, 2026
With personalized pricing, some buyers would see higher prices and others lower ones.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 11, 2026
We demand personalized service, but don’t always seem particularly interested in the people providing it.
From Salon ● Oct. 11, 2026
His authority bolstered by a title on the door and personalized office stationery, York set forth a “working philosophy” for Livermore calling for “always pushing at the technological boundaries.”
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
Solomon’s hobby of DJing had drawn criticism and negative headlines, personalizing the drama at the bank.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
There’s also been a wave of new research aimed at personalizing care.
From MarketWatch ● Jan. 7, 2026
Her unorthodox personalizing of the chimps was particularly controversial.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2025
"As we get a better grasp on identifying and measuring these diverse circulating molecules in our bodies and how they're metabolized, we could make huge strides in personalizing medicine accordingly," says Metallo.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 18, 2024
Grandma had stitched illustrations of my palm print into the dashiki, personalizing it to me.
From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
