urbanize

[ ur-buh-nahyz ]

/ ˈɜr bəˌnaɪz /

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See synonyms for: urbanize / urbanized on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), ur·ban·ized, ur·ban·iz·ing.

to make or cause to become urban, as a locality.

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Also especially British, ur·ban·ise .

Origin of urbanize

First recorded in 1635–45; urban + -ize

OTHER WORDS FROM urbanize

ur·ban·i·za·tion, nounnon·ur·ban·ized, adjectiveo·ver·ur·ban·ize, verb, o·ver·ur·ban·ized, o·ver·ur·ban·iz·ing.un·ur·ban·ized, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use urbanize in a sentence

The state is diversifying and urbanizing at an incredible clip.
What are the odds of Democratic wins in the Georgia runoffs?|Amber Phillips|November 6, 2020|Washington Post
In the large cities the urbanized working class were slaves to a plutocracy.
How Dickens and Scrooge Saved Christmas|Clive Irving|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Every state in the United States is becoming more urbanized.
Andrew Cuomo Ignores Rural New York|David Fontana|November 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Israel and Palestine—it cannot be stressed enough—exist in a globalized, networked, densely populated, urbanized land.
Israelis and Palestinians: Getting Down To Business|Bernard Avishai|June 24, 2013|DAILY BEAST

The Democrats dominate the urbanized coasts and the industrial Midwest.
Starbucks’ Effort to Solve the Fiscal Cliff Probably Won’t Work|Daniel Gross|December 26, 2012|DAILY BEAST
He has food stamps and soup kitchens that provide him enough to eat, as do most homeless people in most urbanized areas.
Officer’s Gift to ‘Homeless’ Man Triggers Controversy|Winston Ross|December 7, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Their minds have been urbanized; all their thoughts are city thoughts.
Rural Life and the Rural School|Joseph Kennedy
Europe was transformed from an agricultural to an urbanized, industrial area.
The Rising Tide of Color Against White World-Supremacy|Theodore Lothrop Stoddard

British Dictionary definitions for urbanize

urbanize

urbanise

/ (ˈɜːbəˌnaɪz) /

verb (tr)

(usually passive)

to make (esp a predominantly rural area or country) more industrialized and urban
to cause the migration of an increasing proportion of (rural dwellers) into cities

Derived forms of urbanize

urbanization or urbanisation, noun

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

urbanize

Origin of urbanize

OTHER WORDS FROM urbanize

Words related to urbanize

How to use urbanize in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for urbanize

urbanise

Derived forms of urbanize