Standard Lemma guide

memorialize

verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • mə-môr′ē-ə-līz′
  • /məˈmɔːɹi.əˌlaɪz/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: M AH0 M AO1 R IY0 AH0 L AY2 Z Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To provide a memorial for someone; to commemorate.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: British, English, Oxford, US, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To convert (someone’s profile) into a memorial site/page (e.g. on Facebook).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: British, English, Oxford, US, transitive

Qualifier: social media

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To create a written record of a meeting or conversation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: British, English, Oxford, US, transitive

Topics: law

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To petition with a memorial, or statement of facts.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: British, English, Oxford, US, dated, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

be or provide a memorial to a person or an event

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • This sculpture commemorates the victims of the concentration camps
  • We memorialized the Dead

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: commemorate, memorialise, immortalize, immortalise, record

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: remind

Narrower terms: monumentalize, monumentalise

6

verb

Meaning 6

address in a memorial

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The President memorialized the heroes of the battle

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: memorialise

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: address, speak

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English memorial Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō)bor. Late Latin -izōder. Middle French -iserbor. Middle English -isen English -ize English memorialize From memorial + -ize.

Across languages

Translations

7 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • German: eine Denkschrift einreichen — to commemorate
  • German: eine Gedenkfeier abhalten (für jemand) — to commemorate
  • Hungarian: emléket állít — to commemorate
  • Spanish: conmemorar — to commemorate
  • Ukrainian: меморіалізува́ти (memorializuváty) — to commemorate
  • Hungarian: emlékoldallá alakít — to convert (a profile) into a memorial site/page
  • Spanish: memorializar — to convert (a profile) into a memorial site/page