Synonyms

symbolize

American

[sim-buh-lahyz] / ˈsɪm bəˌlaɪz /

especially British, symbolise

verb (used with object)

symbolized, symbolizing

to be a symbol of; stand for or represent in the manner of a symbol.
to represent by a symbol or symbols.
to regard or treat as symbolic.

verb (used without object)

symbolized, symbolizing

to use symbols.

symbolize British

/ ˈsɪmbəˌlaɪz /

verb

(tr) to serve as or be a symbol of
to represent by a symbol or symbols
(intr) to use symbols
(tr) to treat or regard as symbolic or figurative

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

resymbolize verb
symbolization noun
unsymbolized adjective

Etymology

Origin of symbolize

From the New Latin word symbolizāre, dating back to 1580–90. See symbol, -ize

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.

For me, the ash cross symbolizes how to repent—at the cross.

From The Wall Street Journal

Lincoln poses almost nonchalantly, one hand touching a book to represent knowledge, the other clutching a scroll to symbolize statecraft.

From The Wall Street Journal

Yet, somehow, this problematic statistic and all that it symbolizes doesn’t even register.

From Salon

The show’s format “symbolizes what it’s like to be in the entertainment business as a whole,” Friedman said.

From Los Angeles Times

Fink argues that the song reflects a time of centralized power within the music industry, but symbolizes a desire to escape.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023