modernize
verb
mod·ern·ize
ˈmä-dər-ˌnīz 
modernized; modernizing
: to make modern (as in taste, style, or usage)
modernize a kitchen
: to adopt modern ways
Older companies need to modernize to survive in the new economy.
modernizer
noun
Examples of modernize in a Sentence
We're modernizing our kitchen with a new oven, refrigerator, and dishwasher.
The country recently announced plans to begin modernizing its army.
The school needs a building with modernized classrooms.
Older companies will need to modernize quickly if they are to survive in today's economy.
Recent Examples on the Web
But in the 1950s, the Ecke family began modernizing breeding so that the plant was more suited to growing in containers.
—
Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 25 Dec. 2025
Reports suggest China is growing and modernizing its weapons faster than any other nuclear power, a charge that Beijing has denied.
—Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 23 Dec. 2025
Drama teacher Heidi Moreno and her Advanced Drama students studied the author and classic story, looking for ways to modernize the story.
—Rancho Santa Fe Review, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Dec. 2025
Both yards have full construction schedules as the US modernizes its own submarine fleet, so fitting new South Korean construction into those facilities seems problematic.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 21 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for modernize
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Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 25 Dec. 2025
Reports suggest China is growing and modernizing its weapons faster than any other nuclear power, a charge that Beijing has denied.
—Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 23 Dec. 2025
Drama teacher Heidi Moreno and her Advanced Drama students studied the author and classic story, looking for ways to modernize the story.
—Rancho Santa Fe Review, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Dec. 2025
Both yards have full construction schedules as the US modernizes its own submarine fleet, so fitting new South Korean construction into those facilities seems problematic.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 21 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for modernize
Cite this Entry
“Modernize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/modernize. Accessed 31 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
modernize
verb
mod·ern·ize
ˈmäd-ər-ˌnīz
modernized; modernizing
: to make or become modern
especially
: to change to suit present styles, tastes, or needs
modernization
noun
ˌmäd-ər-nə-ˈzā-shən
modernizer
noun
ˈmäd-ər-ˌnī-zər
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