Standard Lemma guide

socialize

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

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.

  • 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