polarize
Americanverb (used with object)
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to cause polarization in.
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to divide into sharply opposing factions, political groups, etc..
The controversy has polarized voters into proabortion and antiabortion groups.
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to give polarity to.
verb (used without object)
verb
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to acquire or cause to acquire polarity
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to acquire or cause to acquire polarization
to polarize light
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to cause people to adopt extreme opposing positions
to polarize opinion
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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.
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To magnetize a substance so that it has the properties of a magnetic dipole, such as having a north and south pole.
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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.
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See more at polarization
Other Word Forms
- depolarize verb (used with object)
- nonpolarizable adjective
- polarizability noun
- polarizable adjective
- repolarize verb (used with object)
Etymology
Origin of polarize
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.
By studying polarized light at different wavelengths, the researchers were able to determine the grains' size and composition.
From Science Daily
During his 14 years as senator, Rubio was generally well-liked by his colleagues, who unanimously confirmed him as secretary of state -- a rarity in such polarized times.
From Barron's
The algorithm does that now, and it has propelled both Pauls into wealthy influencer titans, and Jake into the fight world’s munificent, polarizing Barnum.
To pin down these elusive signatures, the researchers relied on advanced polarized neutron scattering.
From Science Daily
He has noticed that mentioning AI is polarizing.
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.
