stabilize

verb

sta·​bi·​lize ˈstā-bə-ˌlīz How to pronounce stabilize (audio)
stabilized; stabilizing

transitive verb

1
: to make stable, steadfast, or firm
2
: to hold steady: such as
a
: to maintain the stability of (something, such as an airplane) by means of a stabilizer
b
: to limit fluctuations of
stabilize prices
c
: to establish a minimum price for

intransitive verb

: to become stable, firm, or steadfast
stabilization noun

Examples of stabilize in a Sentence

The country's population has stabilized at 3.2 million. The government's efforts to stabilize prices have not succeeded. Even the administration's most vocal critics agree that the President has succeeded in stabilizing the economy. We'll use ropes to stabilize the platform. a process that stabilizes the vaccine drugs that stabilize a patient's heartbeat The pilots were able to stabilize the airplane and land safely.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Lawmakers and regulators in the state are working to fix the crisis and stabilize the market, but this threat is unlikely to disappear. Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025 Malone seemed to prefer veteran guard Russell Westbrook, whom the Nuggets signed to a two-year, $6.8 million minimum-salary contract this past offseason, as a stabilizing presence in the non-Jokić minutes. Bryan Toporek, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025 For 20-something McCartney — who’d also lost his mother as a teenager — work was the primary stabilizing force in his life. Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 8 Apr. 2025 The report’s authors said wholesale continues to play a crucial role in stabilizing markets, shifting from a growth driver to a tool for optimizing distribution and controlling costs. Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 8 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for stabilize

Word History

First Known Use

1861, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of stabilize was in 1861

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stabilize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stabilize. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

stabilize

verb
sta·​bi·​lize ˈstā-bə-ˌlīz How to pronounce stabilize (audio)
stabilized; stabilizing
1
: to make or become stable, fixed, or firm
2
: to hold steady (as by means of a stabilizer)
stabilization noun

Medical Definition

stabilize

verb
sta·​bi·​lize
variants also British stabilise
stabilized also British stabilised; stabilizing also British stabilising

transitive verb

: to make stable
stabilize a patient's condition

intransitive verb

: to become stable
when pulse and blood pressure respond and stabilizeThe Journal of the American Medical Association
stabilization noun
also British stabilisation

More from Merriam-Webster on stabilize

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!