commercialize
verb
Simple meaning
Exploit for maximal profit, usually by sacrificing quality.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
kuhmurshuhlyzSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
kəˈmɝʃəlaɪz
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
verb
Exploit for maximal profit, usually by sacrificing quality
“The hotel owners are commercializing the beaches.”
transitive
To exploit something for maximum financial gain, sometimes by sacrificing quality.
transitive
To apply business methodology to something in order to profit (such as introducing salability to a resource that comes from, or rightfully belongs to, the commons).
transitive
To bring into commerce from an earlier condition (such as idea alone, experimental prototypes alone, or one-off custom builds only).
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- C2 · Proficient (estimated)
- Frequency
- Rare
- Typical Use
- Primarily written
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: Exploit for maximal profit, usually by sacrificing quality
Used this way, commercialize is a common word with a faintly unfavourable edge. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
“The hotel owners are commercializing the beaches.”
- Emotional tone
- Slightly negative
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Moderate
- How common
- Common
- Connotation
- Critical or judgemental
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use commercialize
- “Some Amish people have commercialized their way of life.”verb
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
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Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Word family
Words built from the same root.
The act of commercializing something.
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