socialize

UK: /ˈsəʊʃəlaɪz/ US: /ˈsoʊʃəˌlaɪz/ ,(sō′shə līz′)

Inflections of 'socialize' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

socializes

v 3rd person singular (US & UK)

socializing

v pres p (US & UK)

socialized

v past (US & UK)

socialized

v past p (US & UK)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

so•cial•ize /ˈsoʊʃəˌlaɪz/   v., -ized, -iz•ing. 
v. 

1. Sociology to make fit for life in companionship with others:
   [~ + object] the problems of socializing a two-year-old child.
2. to associate sociably with others:
   [no object] The child needs to have some friends to socialize with.
3. Sociology, Government to make socialistic:
   [~ + object] to socialize medicine.

so•cial•i•za•tion /ˌsoʊʃəlɪˈzeɪʃən/  n. 

[uncountable] the difficult process of child socialization.

See -soc-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

so•cial•ize  (sō′shə līz′), v., -ized, -iz•ing. 
v.t. 

1. Sociology to make social;
   make fit for life in companionship with others.
2. Sociology, Government to make socialistic;
   establish or regulate according to the theories of socialism.
3. Education to treat as a group activity:
   to socialize spelling quizzes.

v.i. 

4. to associate or mingle sociably with others:
   to socialize with one's fellow workers.

Also,[esp. Brit.,] so′cial•ise′. 

• social + -ize 1820–30

so′cial•iz′a•ble, adj. 
so′cial•iz′er, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

socialize, socialise / ˈsəʊʃəˌlaɪz/ verb

1. (intransitive) to behave in a friendly or sociable manner
2. (transitive) to prepare for life in society
3. (transitive) to alter or create so as to be in accordance with socialist principles, as by nationalization