- present participle of polarize.
polarizing
Americanadjective
-
tending to divide people into sharply opposing factions.
Here are some tips to keep polarizing political discourse from disrupting your workplace.
-
causing polarization of light or similar radiation.
If there is glare, you can use a polarizing filter on the camera to reduce or even remove it.
-
causing magnetic or electric polarity in a body or system.
The control system consists of a feedback loop that uses real-time polarizing electric fields as a controlling force.
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of polarizing
First recorded in 1720–30; polariz(e) ( def. ) + -ing 2 ( def. ) for the adjective senses; polariz(e) ( def. ) + -ing 1 ( def. ) for the noun sense
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.
“This is a revolutionary and polarizing car for Ferrari, entering a segment where there has been very limited demand to date for pure electric vehicles,” Reitman said.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026
That’s been part of the thesis for cybersecurity bulls during what’s been a polarizing stretch for the sector.
From MarketWatch • May 6, 2026
Alongside the historic headliners, polarizing comebacks and surprise guests, one of the most buzzed-about discussions surrounding Coachella 2026 has been the unprecedented cost of attending the sold-out SoCal megafest this year.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026
I don’t like to call them polarizing, because they shouldn’t be.
From Salon • Apr. 3, 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
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.
