Americanization

noun

Amer·​i·​can·​i·​za·​tion ə-ˌmer-ə-kə-nə-ˈzā-shən How to pronounce Americanization (audio)
-ˌmər-,
-ˌme-rə-
1
: the act or process of Americanizing
2
: instruction of foreigners (such as immigrants) in English and in U.S. history, government, and culture

Examples of Americanization in a Sentence

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.
But his father Kirk was the subject of one of the studio era's most rigorous Americanization regimes, having been born Issur Danielovitch. Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 4 Sep. 2024 By defeating Japan, the United States would encourage the democratization (and, by extension, the Americanization) of Asia. Michael Kimmage, Foreign Affairs, 13 Jan. 2023 This was a routine gesture of Americanization that many of the stars of that era underwent. Mayukh Sen, The New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2023 Even if its Americanization follows a standard template, the movie maintains a flavorful sprinkling of the material’s cultural specificity, its spiritual elements and its philosophical lessons about hubris and humility. David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Aug. 2023 One of the biggest is that… the mind boggles at trying to work out exactly how an Americanization of this wholly Korean story can even work before the show just becomes a whole different thing. Andy Meek, BGR, 12 Nov. 2021 That might scare off a lot of creators from remaking it, but not Hagai Levi (The Affair, In Treatment), who directs and co-writes this Americanization that finds Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain stepping into roles originated by Erland Josephson and Liv Liv Ullmann. Keith Phipps, Rolling Stone, 30 Aug. 2021

Word History

First Known Use

1849, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Americanization was in 1849

Dictionary Entries Near Americanization

Cite this Entry

“Americanization.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Americanization. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on Americanization

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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