What does "memorialize" mean?
To provide a memorial for someone; to commemorate.
Memorialize
verb
verb ·5 syllables ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: To provide a memorial for someone; to commemorate.
- Grammar: memorialize is listed as verb.
- Nearest alternatives: commemorate, accost, address, apply.
- Useful contrasts: disremember, erase memory, forget.
- Usage evidence: Every year on November 20th, the transgender community observes Transgender Day of Remembrance to memorialize members of the community who have been murdered over the last year.
How to use "memorialize"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "memorialize" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "memorialize" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "memorialize" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "memorialize" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "memorialize" is acting as verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "commemorate" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "memorialize", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Verb
- 1 To provide a memorial for someone; to commemorate. British, English, Oxford, US, transitive
"In this passage, Andromaque sees Astyanax only through the memorializing lens of his attribution to Hector, his status as "gage.""
- 2 be or provide a memorial to a person or an event wordnet
- 3 To convert (someone’s profile) into a memorial site/page (e.g. on Facebook). British, English, Oxford, US, transitive
"Facebook says people with memorialized accounts do not appear in advertisements or birthday reminders on the site and are also excluded from the People You May Know list of friend suggestions."
- 4 address in a memorial wordnet
- 5 To create a written record of a meeting or conversation. British, English, Oxford, US, transitive
"Most of the time, the National Security Council — the foreign policy arm of the White House — memorializes presidential phone or video calls with foreign heads of state on the so-called TNet system, the officials said."
Show 1 more definition
- 6 To petition with a memorial, or statement of facts. British, English, Oxford, US, dated, transitive
"Why, you'll—you'll ask till they tell you. Then you'll memorialize that Department (according to regular forms which you'll find out) for leave to memorialize this Department."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"Every year on November 20th, the transgender community observes Transgender Day of Remembrance to memorialize members of the community who have been murdered over the last year."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "memorialize"?
Common synonyms include: commemorate, accost, address, apply, apply to, approach.
How do you use "memorialize" in a sentence?
Every year on November 20th, the transgender community observes Transgender Day of Remembrance to memorialize members of the community who have been murdered over the last year.
Etymology
From memorial + -ize.