democratize

verb

de·​moc·​ra·​tize di-ˈmä-krə-ˌtīz How to pronounce democratize (audio)
democratized; democratizing
Synonyms of democratizenext

transitive verb

: to make democratic
democratization
di-ˌmä-krə-tə-ˈzā-shən How to pronounce democratize (audio)
noun
democratizer
di-ˈmä-krə-ˌtī-zər How to pronounce democratize (audio)
noun

Examples of democratize in a Sentence

Community leaders have had some success in democratizing the organization. There is internal pressure on the government to democratize. The magazine's goal is to democratize art. an effort to democratize politics
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Bask Health has helped democratize healthcare entrepreneurship. — Nia Bowers, USA Today, 2 July 2026 That means that instead of democratizing access to affordable tutors, these tools could very well widen inequality by supercharging students who are already motivated to get ahead. — Mike Goldstein, The Atlantic, 25 June 2026 Today, YouTube channels, podcasts, audiobooks, short-form video and a new generation of digital platforms have democratized not just the consumption of history, but the telling of it. — Paul Buccieri, HollywoodReporter, 2 July 2026 But putting storage on display in the name of democratizing culture assumes objects’ accessibility is only about space and physical access, and that curatorial interpretation is a screen rather than a bridge to the thing itself. — Kelly Presutti, ARTnews.com, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for democratize

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French démocratiser, from démocratie democracy + -iser -ize

First Known Use

1794, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of democratize was in 1794

Rhymes for democratize

See All Rhymes for democratize

Browse Nearby Words

democratization
democratize
democrat wagon
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Democratize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/democratize. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

democratize

verb
de·​moc·​ra·​tize di-ˈmäk-rə-ˌtīz How to pronounce democratize (audio)
democratized; democratizing
: to make democratic
democratization
-ˌmäk-rət-ə-ˈzā-shən How to pronounce democratize (audio)
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on democratize

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for democratize

Nglish: Translation of democratize for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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