-ize

(Latin: a suffix; to act in a certain way; to treat in a certain way; to make into; to treat with; to do; to make; to cause)

These word entries are just a small listing of the many words that exist with the -ize endings; so, be aware that there are many more words with this suffix which exist in this lexicon.

Another closely related suffix family with the same meanings, but a different spelling, is located at this -ise unit.

acidize (verb), acidizes; acidized; acidizing
To impregnate with acid, to acidify: At Joe's firm the specialist decided to acidize an oil well in order to expand the pores in the adjacent rocks which would induce the flow of water, oil, etc. and neutralize the lime.
adrenalectomize (verb), adrenalectomizes; adrenalectomized; adrenalectomizing
To surgically remove the adrenal glands: In order to adrenalectomize during the operation, Dr. Miller explained that either the excision of one (unilateral adrenalectomy) or both (bilateral adrenalectomy) of the endoctrine glands, also called "suprarenal glands" and situated above each kidney, would be necessary.
aestheticize (verb), aestheticizes; aestheticized; aestheticizing
To render a responsive, agreeable, or refined taste for an idealized or artistic method: With fresh paint and wallpaper, Barbara aestheticized her drab living room.
aggrandize (verb), aggrandizes; aggrandized; aggrandizing
1. To enhance or to increase power, reputation, prestige, or stature: Being elected to the highest office of the land certainly aggrandized the sense of importance for Frank's uncle.
2. To exaggerate or to embellish an accomplishment: When describing the fish that he caught, Morgan's nephew, Mike, tends to aggrandize the length and weight of the fish.
To make something great or greater than it actually is.
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To embellish or aggrandize something.
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To exaggerate.
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agonize (verb), agonizes; agonized; agonizing
1. To make convulsive efforts; to struggle; to strive in physical exercise: The hikers were agonising in the hot sun as they were climbing up the high mountain.
2. To be in agony; to be in great pain: Susan agonized over the difficult decision that had to be made before making the final phone call.
albumenize (verb), albumenizes; albumenized; albumenizing
To coat or to impregnate a surface or material with a water-soluble protein: In order to albumenize glass or paper with albumin, which is found in blood, plasma, egg whites, milk, and in animal and plant tissues, it first must be coagulated with heat.
alcoholize (verb), alcoholizes; alcoholized; alcoholizing
1. To treat or infuse with ethanol: Jane said, "Please alcoholize the oranges and prunes for dessert with the fine wine and put them into the fridge until after dinner."

Jack saturated or alcoholized the cloth with a hydroxyl compound to use as a cleaning agent.
2. To put under the influence of a fermented drink: After consuming two bottles of wine, the two brothers didn't notice that they had alcoholized themselves until after they stood up from the table.

alphabetize (verb), alphabetizes; alphabetized; alphabetizing
1. To arrange articles according to the writing system with a, b, c, d, etc.: Mrs. Smart alphabetized her recipes so that she could find the one she wanted more easily and quickly.
2. To furnish with a system of signals or signs as being equivalent to letters: Some languages, as the Chinese or Japanese, use a method of radical-and-strokes to define or to alphabetize the ordering of the symbols.
amortize (verb), amortizes; amortized; amortizing
1. To pay money which is owed for something by making regular payments over a long period of time: Sam has been amortizing the mortgage for his house for the last five years.
2. To reduce a debt by making payments against the principal balance in installments or regular transfers: During the year, Jack and Jill amortized their financial obligation to the bank for a loan and so it became less and less each month!
anabaptize (verb), anabaptizes; anabaptized; anabaptizing
1. To immerse a person in water or to sprinkle a person with water again: Susan was anabaptized or rechristened in order to to wash away her sins and to rename her.
2. To purify or to symbolically cleanse someone spiritually: In school Grace learned that people back in 1637 were anabaptized in order to sanctify and to lustrate them from guilt or defilement.
3. To introduce or to initiate someone into an activity which is to be accomplished: Adam was anabaptized once more when he applied for a job as an a reporter in TV productions.
anachronize (verb), anachronizes; anachronized; anachronizing
To put something into a wrong chronological position: The murderer changed the time, or anachronized, the victim's watch so that it was not accurate in order to make the investigation for the police more difficult.
anaesthetize, anesthetize (verb); anaesthetizes, anesthetizes; anaesthetized, anesthetized; anaesthetizing, anesthetizing
To administer a medication to a person, or animal, that is designed to render the recipient insensible and unaware of any pain: Angela, the nurse, used an alcohol swab to clean Marie's skin before using an injection to anesthetize her.
anagrammatize (verb), anagrammatizes; anagrammatized; anagrammatizing
To transpose a word by changing it into another word by using a different arrangement of letters: Ann anagrammatized "lived" into "devil" when she was talking to her friend on the phone and her friend anagrammatized "secure" into "rescue"!
anathematize (verb), anathematizes; anathematized; anathematizing
To declare a curse; to condemn: Mr. Hill anathematised and proclaimed the thieves who stole his cell phone to be more than vile!
anesthetize (verb), anesthetizes; anesthetized; anesthetizing
To place someone under the effects or influences of drugs that are designed to put a patient to "sleep" and to be unaware of pain during surgery: With the administration of a medication, Dr. Black anesthetized Glenda prior to the operation.