ritualization
Americannoun
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the act of ritualizing.
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Ethology. the alteration of a behavior pattern, as by a change in intensity, in a way that increases its effectiveness as a signal to other members of the species.
Etymology
Origin of ritualization
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 ritualization offers a rebuttal to our modern age where weather is practically irrelevant; as Ms. Kondo puts it, “today, I can’t help but feel that nature and humanity live out increasingly separate timelines.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 12, 2025
There’s all this science and ritualization that goes into it that I found really helpful.
From New York Times ● Feb. 6, 2023
In his book Death Foretold, Christakis calls this “the ritualization of optimism,” arguing that the difficulty of prognosis causes most doctors to shirk difficult conversations around end-of-life planning.
From Slate ● Mar. 13, 2017
Earlier in the week, this excellent choir, founded in 1925, had shown extraordinary personal commitment and textual nuance in Peter Sellars’s heart-wrenching ritualization of Bach’s “St. Matthew Passion” at the Park Avenue Armory.
From New York Times ● Oct. 12, 2014
Fishing appears to be far less subject to ritualization among the Washo than was hunting.
From Washo Religion by James F. Downs
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