polarize
verb
po·lar·ize
ˈpō-lə-ˌrīz 
polarized; polarizing; polarizes
1
: to cause to vibrate in a definite pattern
lenses that polarize light waves
2
: to give physical polarity to
3
: to break up into opposing factions or groupings
a campaign that polarized the electorate
4
: concentrate sense 1
recreate a cohesive rock community by polarizing … an amorphous, fragmented audience—
Ellen Willis
Ellen Willis
: to become polarized
polarized
adjective
polarized sunglasses
a polarized political climate
Examples of polarize in a Sentence
The war has polarized the nation.
The current debate polarizes along lines of class and race.
Recent Examples on the Web
In recent years, the race has become increasingly polarized, with partisan groups continuing to back their party's preferred candidate.
—Anna Kleiber, jsonline.com, 14 July 2025
Police arrived on the scene and escorted both men out of the club, but the polarizing rapper allegedly wasn’t cooperative.
—Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 8 July 2025
Auto analysts say aging vehicle portfolio and the political environment harmed Tesla's sales this quarter.
Tesla Inc., the No. 1 electric vehicle company in the U.S., is shedding customers as public opinion soured on its polarizing billionaire CEO Elon Musk.
—Jackie Charniga, Freep.com, 4 July 2025
The experiences documented in the film only reinforce the polarizing data represented in the report.
—Stephanie Tharpe, Forbes.com, 4 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for polarize
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Anna Kleiber, jsonline.com, 14 July 2025
Police arrived on the scene and escorted both men out of the club, but the polarizing rapper allegedly wasn’t cooperative.
—Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 8 July 2025
Auto analysts say aging vehicle portfolio and the political environment harmed Tesla's sales this quarter.
Tesla Inc., the No. 1 electric vehicle company in the U.S., is shedding customers as public opinion soured on its polarizing billionaire CEO Elon Musk.
—Jackie Charniga, Freep.com, 4 July 2025
The experiences documented in the film only reinforce the polarizing data represented in the report.
—Stephanie Tharpe, Forbes.com, 4 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for polarize
Cite this Entry
“Polarize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/polarize. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
polarize
verb
po·lar·ize
ˈpō-lə-ˌrīz
polarized; polarizing
1
: to cause to vibrate (as light waves) in a definite pattern
2
: to give physical polarity to
3
: to break up into opposing groups
4
: to become polarized
polarization
noun
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