Standard Lemma guide

societalization

noun · 2 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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1

noun

Meaning 1

The theory attributed to sociologist Q112383134 (Q112383134) that modernisation makes social life increasingly fragmented with a loss of close-knit communities, which process is seen to undermine religion.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

Topics: human-sciences, sciences, social-science, sociology

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The theory attributed to sociologist Jeffrey C. Alexander that social problems become objects of concern for the broader public sphere once actors within the sphere where the problem originated are shown to have infringed against the sphere's own values and failed to solve it internally (e.g. journalists revealing Catholic Church leaders' coverups of sexual abuse of children by priests).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From societal + -ization.

Across languages

Translations

1 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: yhteiskunnallistuminen — fragmentation of society due to modernisation