harmonize
Americanverb (used with object)
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harmonizes,
present (3rd person singular)
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harmonized,
past participle, past
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harmonizing
present participle
verb (used without object)
-
harmonizes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
harmonized,
past participle, past
-
harmonizing
present participle
verb
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to make or become harmonious
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(tr) music to provide a harmony for (a melody, tune, etc)
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(intr) to sing in harmony, as with other singers
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to collate parallel narratives
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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harmonizationnoun
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harmonizernoun
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reharmonizeverb (used with object)
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unharmonizeverb (used with object)
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harmonizableadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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harmonizesimple
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harmonizessimple
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have harmonizedperfect
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has harmonizedperfect
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am harmonizingprogressive
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are harmonizingprogressive
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is harmonizingprogressive
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have been harmonizingperfect progressive
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has been harmonizingperfect progressive
Past
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harmonizedsimple
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had harmonizedperfect
-
was harmonizingprogressive
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were harmonizingprogressive
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had been harmonizingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of harmonize
First recorded in 1475–85; late Middle English, also armonise, from Middle French harmoniser, equivalent to harmonie + -iser, verb suffix; see harmony, -ize
Explanation
When you harmonize different opinions or ideas, you bring them to some kind of agreement. It's challenging to harmonize the different interests of a whole classroom full of children, but that's part of what a good teacher does. When senators from different parties work together on a bill, they need to harmonize their different expectations and and priorities before they can come up with a good compromise. Another way to harmonize is to blend two singing voices or two instruments in a way that sounds pleasing. This is the oldest meaning of the word, which ultimately comes from the Greek harmonia, "concord of sounds" or "agreement."
Vocabulary lists containing harmonize
"Say It with Flowers" and "The Journey"
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-ize
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -ize
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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.
See Examples For:
Regulators have been working on finalizing new capital standards for banks for years, the culmination of an international effort to harmonize capital requirements after the 2008 financial crisis.
From Barron's ● Jun. 29, 2026
A combined company would also have to integrate complex union seniority lists; harmonize a massive fleet, which comprises both Boeing and Airbus jets; and face a web of co-branded card programs offered by each airline.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 14, 2026
"One of the technical advances that we made in this work is to figure out how to harmonize all these different data modalities so they can come together to learn the same language," Zou said.
From Science Daily ● Jan. 9, 2026
A period-piece-vampire-musical mashup could have been discordant, but writer-director Ryan Coogler confidently makes all three genres harmonize.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 5, 2025
I sit next to her on the piano bench and harmonize.
From "What the Night Sings" by Vesper Stamper
Designed by Snøhetta and inspired by the 26th president’s love for the American wilderness, the new building is a moving work of architecture that harmonizes with its North Dakota landscape setting.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
In “Luther” she harmonizes with Lamar about selfless love and, in the album’s closing track “Gloria,” she adds moving vocals to the rapper’s ode to writing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 3, 2024
“I am happy to see the CDC guidance that harmonizes the approach and gives people concrete information of what they can do everyday,” said Dean Sidelinger, Oregon’s state epidemiologist.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 4, 2024
Frontman Tony Lewis's voice is dynamic and empathetic, and he frequently harmonizes with guitarist-keyboardist John Spinks, creating lovely vocal flourishes.
From Salon ● Jul. 4, 2023
And then Celia begins to laugh, a buoyant giggle that harmonizes with the din of the rain.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
The research team used harmonized survey data collected between 2009 and 2023 through the Gateway to Global Aging Data project.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 13, 2026
The eurozone’s final harmonized CPI data for November is scheduled for Wednesday.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 12, 2025
Garcia played guitar on the couple’s 1975 album, “Keith & Donna,” and harmonized with the pair on the a cappella track “Who Was John.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 14, 2025
Listen to his tightly harmonized vocals in “Send It On” or to the gorgeously murky electric piano in “One Mo’Gin” or to the knotty percussive crosstalk in “Sugah Daddy.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2025
Subsequent research has revealed that it isn’t just gesture that is harmonized, but also conversational rhythm.
From "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell
WSJ: It seems like therefore the “different speeds” version of Europe might work for some things but not others like harmonizing standards, the AI project as a collective.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 21, 2026
Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves each starred in their solo parts while harmonizing almost perfectly together to propel the Lakers to their fifth consecutive win.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 29, 2025
Each element should layer on top of the others, sometimes harmonizing, sometimes clashing just enough to make every bite sing.
From Salon ● Sep. 16, 2025
Judy McLane is a powerhouse singer, as adept at harmonizing with the ensemble as she is at majestically separating herself from the pack.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2024
Otto and TimeStar said together, harmonizing once more.
From "The Last Last-Day-of-Summer" by Lamar Giles
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
