fetishize

verb

fe·​tish·​ize ˈfe-ti-ˌshīz How to pronounce fetishize (audio)
 also  ˈfē-
fetishized; fetishizing

transitive verb

: to make a fetish of : treat or regard with fetishism

Examples of fetishize 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.
Japanese architecture and flora are beautiful, and the game gives you plenty of moments to revel in it without overly fetishizing it like Ghost of Tsushima always did. Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Mar. 2025 The band — first known as the Colours, then the Bangs, before the members settled on the Bangles — spent its early years as part of Los Angeles’s Paisley Underground, a ’60s fetishizing scene that included groups like the Dream Syndicate and the Three O’Clock. Bob Mehr, New York Times, 10 Feb. 2025 The Democratic Party has long fetishized unionized labor, fancying itself the party of the American worker. Noah Rothman, National Review, 20 Feb. 2025 The United States should also stop fetishizing its military. Kori Schake, Foreign Affairs, 16 Apr. 2019 See All Example Sentences for fetishize

Word History

First Known Use

1884, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fetishize was in 1884

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Cite this Entry

“Fetishize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fetishize. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.

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