valorize

American  

[val-uh-rahyz] / ˈvæl əˌraɪz /

especially British, valorise

verb (used with object)

valorized, valorizing

1. to provide for the maintaining of the value or price of (a commercial commodity) by a government's purchasing the commodity at the fixed price or by its making special loans to the producers.

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valorize British  

/ ˈvæləˌraɪz /

verb

1. (tr) to fix and maintain an artificial price for (a commodity) by governmental action

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Other Word Forms

• valorization
  noun

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Etymology

Origin of valorize

First recorded in 1905–10; from Late Latin valor “worth” ( see valor) + -ize

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Explanation

To valorize something is to emphasize or enhance its value or importance. Some filmmakers valorize war, making it look noble and exciting on screen. As one who loves to lounge around and take frequent naps, you might feel misunderstood by a culture that valorizes hard work at the expense of rest and relaxation. Economists use the word valorize in a different way, to describe what a government does when it intervenes in a market to fix, increase, or maintain the prices of goods or services or the value of its currency. Valorize comes from the Late Latin valorem, "value or worth," and a root meaning "be strong."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

valorize valorized valorizing

His press conferences are almost theatrically placid, Brunson often slouched in a hat and/or hooded sweatshirt and deflecting any effort to valorize his success.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 8, 2026

But I also adored that Frémaux was so clearly tickled to valorize an audience-thrilling blockbuster, because Cannes can do that, too.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 15, 2026

She put employers on notice that they will be held legally accountable if their employees refuse to serve people who wish to valorize Kirk.

From Salon ● Sep. 18, 2025

"In general chemistry we learn that carbon dioxide reacts with hydroxide to form carbonate. That's undesired because it depletes the molecule we want to valorize," said Neubauer Family Assistant Professor of Molecular Engineering Chibueze Amanchukwu.

From Science Daily ● May 24, 2024

How could the schools valorize men and women whose values society actively scorned?

From "Between the World and Me" by Ta-Nehisi Coates

On top of that, the Nashville music industry was already established, and it valorized the professional songwriter as a key part of a well-oiled machine.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 29, 2026

If they learn at all, they don't learn until they're older, so they've already idealized this valorized idea of America in their head and they can't comport the two things.

From Salon ● Oct. 24, 2023

That’s why it’s so important to not have a cultural figure valorized by one point of view, the idea that we can decide what’s good art, or what’s valuable.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 24, 2023

Many in the outside world have valorized Anabaptists’ beliefs in forgiveness.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 28, 2021

A federal loan of £9,000,000, with 4,535,000 bags of valorized coffee as collateral, was placed in London and New York in May, 1922.

From All About Coffee by William H. (William Harrison) Ukers

The company began life in the 1950s building Soviet-designed cars like the Dongfanghong BJ760 sedan, named after a revolutionary anthem — “the east is red” — valorizing Mao Zedong.

From Washington Post ● Dec. 21, 2022

Instead of valorizing military might and shows of strength, the story has taken great pains to focus instead on the importance of diplomacy, political skills, debate, and yes, boring old bureaucratic administration.

From Salon ● May 21, 2019

But “Marie, Dancing Still” also can go mawkish, valorizing its flawed characters into heroes and glossing the demimonde grit in an era when everything was not beautiful at the ballet.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 6, 2019

While the Royal Society set off in one direction, valorizing plainness, other communities of scholars, at other points in history, were more inclined to fancy talk.

From Slate ● Dec. 12, 2017

The most compelling solo jazz piano music has a way of blurring the lines, valorizing technical astonishments mainly as a means to an end, while delivering less tangible, more mysterious rewards.

From New York Times ● Jul. 2, 2011

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