verb · 7 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
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General-American:/ˈsoʊʃəlaɪz/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:S OW1 SH AH0 L AY2 Z
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
verb
Meaning 1
To interact with others, especially personally, informally and off the clock rather than formally and officially.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
hoping to socialize a bit at the company holiday party
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: hang out
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
To instruct (somebody), usually subconsciously and mostly by example, in the etiquette of a society.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
depending on how children are socialized regarding racial and ethnic biases
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: acculturate
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
To take something into collective or governmental ownership.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
Near-synonym: nationalize
fears about potential attempts to socialize medicine
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: nationalize
Antonyms: none provided
4
verb
Meaning 4
make conform to socialist ideas and philosophies
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
Health care should be socialized!
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: socialise
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: change, alter, modify
5
verb
Meaning 5
prepare for social life
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
Children have to be socialized in school
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: socialise
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: fix, prepare, set up, ready, gear up, set
6
verb
Meaning 6
train for a social environment
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
The children must be properly socialized
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: socialise
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: educate
7
verb
Meaning 7
take part in social activities; interact with others
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
He never socializes with his colleagues
The old man hates to socialize
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: socialise
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: interact
Narrower terms: swing, get around, fraternize, fraternise, hobnob, entertain
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *sekw- Proto-Indo-European *-h2 Proto-Indo-European *-éh2 Proto-Indo-European *sokwéh2 Proto-Indo-European *-ṓy Proto-Indo-European *sokwh2ṓy Proto-Indo-European *-yós Proto-Indo-European *sokwyós Proto-Italic *sokjos Latin sokios Latin socius Proto-Indo-European *h2el-der.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālis Latin sociālisbor. Middle French socialbor. English social 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 socialize From social + -ize.
Across languages
Translations
61 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Afrikaans:
sosialiseer
— to interact with others
Bulgarian:
общувам
(obštuvam)
— to interact with others
Cherokee:
ᎨᎳᏗᏙᎭ
(geladidoha)
— to interact with others
Chinese Mandarin:
與 /与
(yǔ)
— to interact with others
Chinese Mandarin:
交往
(jiāowǎng)
— to interact with others
Chinese Mandarin:
交際 /交际
(jiāojì)
— to interact with others
Chinese Mandarin:
應酬 /应酬
(yìngchou)
— to interact with others
Czech:
stýkat se
— to interact with others
Finnish:
seurustella
— to interact with others
French:
fréquenter des gens
— to interact with others
French:
voir des gens
— to interact with others
Galician:
socializar
— to interact with others
Galician:
sociabilizar
— to interact with others
German:
gesellig sein
— to interact with others
Japanese:
付き合う
(tsukiau)
— to interact with others
Japanese:
社交的にする
(shakōteki ni suru)
— to interact with others
Japanese:
交際する
(kōsai suru)
— to interact with others
Japanese:
応対する
(ōtai suru)
— to interact with others
Māori:
tautūtakitaki
— to interact with others
Māori:
whakahoahoa
— to interact with others
Māori:
takahoahoa
— to interact with others
Māori:
taunekeneke
— to interact with others
Portuguese:
socializar
— to interact with others
Portuguese:
sociabilizar
— to interact with others
Romanian:
socializa
— to interact with others
Russian:
обща́ться
(obščátʹsja)
— to interact with others
Russian:
води́ться
(vodítʹsja)
— to interact with others
Spanish:
socializar
— to interact with others
Spanish:
sociabilizarse
— to interact with others
Spanish:
mezclarse
— to interact with others
Spanish:
alternar
— to interact with others
Spanish:
relacionarse
— to interact with others
Spanish:
codearse
— to interact with others
Swedish:
umgås
— to interact with others
Tagalog:
saulnungin
— to interact with others
Finnish:
sosiaalistaa
— to instruct, usually subconsciously, in the etiquette of a society
Finnish:
sopeuttaa yhteiskuntaan
— to instruct, usually subconsciously, in the etiquette of a society
French:
développer l'aspect social
— to instruct, usually subconsciously, in the etiquette of a society
French:
socialiser
— to instruct, usually subconsciously, in the etiquette of a society
Galician:
socializar
— to instruct, usually subconsciously, in the etiquette of a society
German:
sozialisieren
— to instruct, usually subconsciously, in the etiquette of a society
Kazakh:
қоғамдастыру
(qoğamdastyru)
— to instruct, usually subconsciously, in the etiquette of a society
Portuguese:
socializar
— to instruct, usually subconsciously, in the etiquette of a society
Russian:
подгота́вливать к жи́зни в о́бществе
(podgotávlivatʹ k žízni v óbščestve)
— to instruct, usually subconsciously, in the etiquette of a society
Spanish:
socializar
— to instruct, usually subconsciously, in the etiquette of a society
Azerbaijani:
ictimailəşdirmək
— to take into collective or governmental ownership
Azerbaijani:
elləşdirmək
— to take into collective or governmental ownership
Finnish:
sosialisoida
— to take into collective or governmental ownership
Galician:
socializar
— to take into collective or governmental ownership
German:
vergesellschaften
— to take into collective or governmental ownership
German:
vergemeinschaften
— to take into collective or governmental ownership
Polish:
socjalizować
— to take into collective or governmental ownership
Portuguese:
socializar
— to take into collective or governmental ownership
Romanian:
naționaliza
— to take into collective or governmental ownership
Russian:
обобществля́ть
(obobščestvljátʹ)
— to take into collective or governmental ownership
Serbo-Croatian:
подруштвенити
— to take into collective or governmental ownership
Serbo-Croatian:
социјализи́рати
— to take into collective or governmental ownership
Serbo-Croatian:
podruštveniti
— to take into collective or governmental ownership
Serbo-Croatian:
socijalizírati
— to take into collective or governmental ownership
Spanish:
socializar
— to take into collective or governmental ownership
Swedish:
socialisera
— to take into collective or governmental ownership