westernize

American  

[wes-ter-nahyz] / ˈwɛs tərˌnaɪz /

especially British, westernise

verb (used with object)

westernized, westernizing

1. to influence with ideas, customs, practices, etc., characteristic of Europe and North America.

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westernize British  

/ ˈwɛstəˌnaɪz /

verb

1. (tr) to influence or make familiar with the customs, practices, etc, of the West

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Other Word Forms

• unwesternized adjective
• westernization noun

Etymology

Origin of westernize

First recorded in 1830–40; western + -ize

Explanation

To westernize is to impose aspects of European or North American culture on a group of people in another part of the world. When a society westernizes, it adopts the norms or customs (or pop culture) of Western nations. An African city with a McDonald's is one example of this, as is a trend of wearing jeans and sweatshirts in an Indian village. Many people have become westernized by force throughout history, when colonizers moved in and imposed Christianity, Western-style clothing, or the English language. Westernize was first used in the 1800s, originally in reference to Japan becoming "more like the West."

Example Sentences

Imperial biographer Robert K. Massie paints a satisfying portrait of Catherine the woman and Catherine the ruler, and her attempts to modernize and westernize Russia.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 16, 2020

Meanwhile, throughout the production the “Death Note” team dealt with criticism from fans of the Ohba/Obata manga, resentful of Wingard and company’s attempt to westernize a Japanese creation.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 24, 2017

For better or for worse, Peter the Great had tried to westernize and reform the culture and government of Russia.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2012

For a precedent, Sobchak turns to the city's founder, Peter the Great, the Czar who set out to westernize the backward Russian Empire.

From Time Magazine Archive

Da Gama and Albuquerque began a movement, which still continues, to "westernize" Asia by opening it up to European influence.

From Early European History by Webster, Hutton