modernize

verb

mod·​ern·​ize ˈmä-dər-ˌnīz How to pronounce modernize (audio)
modernized; modernizing

transitive verb

: to make modern (as in taste, style, or usage)

intransitive verb

: to adopt modern ways
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
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.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates that operating, sustaining, and modernizing U.S. nuclear weapons will cost $946 billion between 2025 and 2034. Davis Winkie, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025 Ostensibly delivered to modernize Syria’s outdated air defenses in the face of Israeli airstrikes, the system remained under direct Russian military control until Moscow withdrew it in 2022 after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025 Now, the district has made a plan for the improvements, which are focused on improving safety and accessibility, modernizing classrooms and upgrading buildings’ infrastructure, the news release said. Molly Morrow, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2025 What To Know Pope Francis is being eulogized as a transformative leader who worked to modernize the Catholic Church by embracing LGBTQ+ individuals and advocating for climate action and social justice. Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for modernize

Word History

First Known Use

1716, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of modernize was in 1716

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Cite this Entry

“Modernize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/modernize. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

modernize

verb
mod·​ern·​ize ˈmäd-ər-ˌnīz How to pronounce modernize (audio)
modernized; modernizing
: to make or become modern
especially : to change to suit present styles, tastes, or needs
modernization
ˌmäd-ər-nə-ˈzā-shən
noun
modernizer
ˈmäd-ər-ˌnī-zər
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on modernize

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