philosophize
Americanverb (used without object)
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to speculate or theorize, usually in a superficial or imprecise manner.
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to think or reason as a philosopher.
verb
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(intr) to make philosophical pronouncements and speculations
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(tr) to explain philosophically
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of philosophize
First recorded in 1585–95; philosoph(y) + -ize
Explanation
To philosophize is to think philosophically or just deeply and reflectively. On a long car trip, after you run out of school gossip, you and your friends might philosophize on the nature of man, or the question "What is beauty?" To philosophize is not exactly the same thing as doing philosophy. Often if we say someone is philosophizing, we are kind of making fun of him, as if all of the sudden he thinks he’s Socrates, but really he’s just parroting Dr. Phil. If you stop driving in the middle of the road to tell your friend a revelation you’ve just had about the nature of suburban society, she might say, “Stop philosophizing and drive!”
Vocabulary lists containing philosophize
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Rick
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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 that proved impossible, given the bench’s outdoor life, where it was used as a jungle gym for neighborhood kids, or a couch for friends to sit and philosophize about this piece of movie history.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 26, 2025
After Hal and Josie’s meet-cute, they see sights blandly, philosophize blandly, blandly tiptoe around the notion of romance, and criticize each other — yes, blandly, but with an occasional touch of “salty” language.
From New York Times • Oct. 27, 2022
The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates claimed his daimon told him to philosophize so he could awaken the Athenian people.
From Textbooks • Jun. 15, 2022
Socrates loved to stroll and philosophize, and Aristotle taught his classes while he walked up and down the walkways of the Lyceum.
From Salon • Aug. 28, 2021
Why in the world would she philosophize about the finish line?
From "The Running Dream" by Wendelin Van Draanen
Definitions 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.
