cat·a·lyze
ˈka-tə-ˌlīz 
catalyzed; catalyzing
1
: to bring about the catalysis of (a chemical reaction)
an enzyme that catalyzes the breakdown of the sugars
2
: bring about, inspire
… his vigorous efforts to catalyze us into activity …—
Harrison Brown
Harrison Brown3
: to alter significantly by or as if by catalysis
… innovations in basic chemical theory that have catalyzed the field …—Newsweek
Newsweek
catalyzer
noun
Examples of catalyze in a Sentence
Verb
a reinstitution of the draft would catalyze protests around the country
Recent Examples on the Web
Doug Melville,
Forbes.com,
5 July 2026
Advertisement Transparency will play a huge role in catalyzing this change.
—
Sasha Luccioni,
Time,
3 July 2026
The march stems from the violent 1969 police raid of the Stonewall Inn that catalyzed the gay rights movement at a time when many people who were LGBTQIA+ hid their identity.
—
Lisa Rozner,
CBS News,
28 June 2026
Federal support for private projects should be robust and milestone-based and designed to catalyze, not replace, private capital.
—
Brigitte Bren,
Chicago Tribune,
21 June 2026
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Verb
After two decades, his pivot was influenced by shifting professional valuations towards external contributions, catalyzed by a book and a Daily Show appearance.
—
Doug Melville,
Forbes.com,
5 July 2026
Advertisement Transparency will play a huge role in catalyzing this change.
—
Sasha Luccioni,
Time,
3 July 2026
The march stems from the violent 1969 police raid of the Stonewall Inn that catalyzed the gay rights movement at a time when many people who were LGBTQIA+ hid their identity.
—
Lisa Rozner,
CBS News,
28 June 2026
Federal support for private projects should be robust and milestone-based and designed to catalyze, not replace, private capital.
—
Brigitte Bren,
Chicago Tribune,
21 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for catalyze
Cite this Entry
“Catalyze.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/catalyze. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
catalyze
verb
cat·a·lyze
ˈkat-ᵊl-ˌīz
catalyzed; catalyzing
: to bring about or produce by chemical catalysis
Medical Definition
catalyze
transitive verb
cat·a·lyze
variants
or British catalyse
catalyzed or British catalysed; catalyzing or British catalysing
: to bring about the catalysis of (a chemical reaction)
catalyzer
noun
or British catalyser
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