polarize

American  

[poh-luh-rahyz] / ˈpoʊ ləˌraɪz /

especially British, polarise

verb (used with object)

• polarizes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• polarized,
  past participle,  past
• polarizing
  present participle

1. to cause polarization in.

2. to divide into sharply opposing factions, political groups, etc..

   The controversy has polarized voters into proabortion and antiabortion groups.

3. to give polarity to.

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verb (used without object)

• polarizes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• polarized,
  past participle,  past
• polarizing
  present participle

1. to become polarized.

polarize British  

/ ˈpəʊləˌraɪz /

verb

1. to acquire or cause to acquire polarity

2. to acquire or cause to acquire polarization

   to polarize light

3. to cause people to adopt extreme opposing positions

   to polarize opinion

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polarize Scientific  

/ pō′lə-rīz′ /

1. To separate or accumulate positive and negative electric charges in two distinct regions. Polarized objects have an electric dipole moment and will undergo torque when placed in an external electric field.

2. To magnetize a substance so that it has the properties of a magnetic dipole, such as having a north and south pole.

3. To cause the electrical and magnetic fields associated with electromagnetic waves, especially light, to vibrate in a particular direction or path. The transverse electric and magnetic waves always vibrate at right angles to each other, but in ordinary unpolarized light sources, the direction of polarization of each wave is randomly distributed. Light can be polarized by reflection, and by passing through certain materials.

4. See more at polarization

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• polarizability
  noun
• depolarize
  verb (used with object)
• repolarize
  verb (used with object)
• nonpolarizable
  adjective
• polarizable
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• polarizing
  present
• polarized
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• polarize
  simple
• polarizes
  simple
• have polarized
  perfect
• has polarized
  perfect
• am polarizing
  progressive
• are polarizing
  progressive
• is polarizing
  progressive
• have been polarizing
  perfect progressive
• has been polarizing
  perfect progressive

Past

• polarized
  simple
• had polarized
  perfect
• was polarizing
  progressive
• were polarizing
  progressive
• had been polarizing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will polarize
  simple
• will have polarized
  perfect
• will be polarizing
  progressive
• will have been polarizing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of polarize

First recorded in 1805–15; polar + -ize

Explanation

To polarize is to divide. Something that's been polarized has been split into two sides that are so different, it seems as though they're from opposite ends of the earth — like the North Pole and the South Pole. Political parties have long been polarized by different views and approaches to government. But you'll also find polarized soda devotees arguing over the merits of Coke vs. Pepsi. Any topic that is controversial can polarize a population, especially if the topic inspires either a fiercely "pro" or fiercely "con" reaction. Topics such as gun control and health care reform have been known to polarize Congress.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

polarize polarizes polarized polarizing

That’s because the monarch positions himself above politics and tries to be as uncontroversial as possible—a figure to unify rather than polarize.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 30, 2026

In the end, "it turned out that yes, you can actually valley polarize bulk materials that are central symmetric, because of the symmetry conditions," concludes Poborska.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 24, 2024

I admired their desire to try to use media to show messy nuance and truths to bring people together, especially at a time when so many documentaries seem designed to polarize and demonize people.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 5, 2023

The plan, sure to polarize the sport, addresses a growing concern by some that the game is getting too long.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 14, 2023

We have, first, our electric lamp, then a Nicol prism, to polarize the beam emergent from the lamp; then an electro-magnet, then a second Nicol, and finally our screen.

From Six Lectures on Light Delivered In The United States In 1872-1873 by John Tyndall

Predictably, however, the one topic that invariably polarizes the online community is Nazi typewriters … especially those sporting the “special key.”

From Slate ● Mar. 16, 2024

Although his career polarizes opinions in his country despite his achievements, Álvarez is revered by the majority in Guadalajara.

From Washington Times ● May 2, 2023

Still, Macy’s portfolio of businesses from Bloomingdale’s to it’s off-price Backstage and wide range of prices offer a big advantage over other retailers as consumer behavior polarizes.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 23, 2022

A Robin Hood figure polarizes England in “The Duke,” an ambling, sentimental account of the 1961 heist of Francisco de Goya’s portrait of the Duke of Wellington from the National Gallery in London.

From New York Times ● Apr. 21, 2022

The Master of Hermetics polarizes himself at the point at which he desires to rest, and then neutralizes the Rhythmic swing of the pendulum which would tend to carry him to the other pole.

From The Kybalion A Study of The Hermetic Philosophy of Ancient Egypt and Greece by Three Initiates

Woodward, Myhrvold, and Horner found that circularly polarized and cross-polarized light can reveal a new type of growth ring.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 22, 2026

It is amazing that on this polarized court, which can agree on nothing, we got a unanimous decision that day-drinking is a good thing.

From Slate ● Jun. 18, 2026

“Now, because audiences can be so polarized, when you send out a message, you’ve really got to think about not only ‘How can this be interpreted?’ but also ‘How can this be misinterpreted?’

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 8, 2026

The interview quickly racked up over 1.1 million views in less than 24 hours and was accompanied by a flood of YouTube comments praising Owens for humanizing addiction and bringing hope to a polarized nation.

From Salon ● May 23, 2026

A mere speck in the sky, she took a reading on the polarized light of the sun.

From "Frightful's Mountain" by Jean Craighead George

A beef-tallow-induced identity crisis: Earlier this year, Luke Winkie set out to crack the biggest culinary mystery in America: Why has this old-fashioned cooking ingredient become so polarizing?

From Slate ● Aug. 21, 2026

Another element is the rise of front-facing sonar—the polarizing underwater technology favored by pros and increasingly deployed by recreational anglers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026

She earned her second Emmy in 2021 for her blistering turn as polarizing British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in “The Crown.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

The Nobel laureate is a deeply respected, superstar in the AI field but has less of a public profile in the U.S., where his peers have become more polarizing figures.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026

They wore shiny, textured gray-blue suits and wide ties and sported long sideburns and slightly too large brown- tinted polarizing glasses.

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee

Related Words

• part
• separate