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.
Bit by bit and then all at once, the concept of leaving one’s spouse has become, for women, almost fetishized—a rite of passage on the way to meeting one’s true self. Tara Ellison, Vogue, 2 Apr. 2025 Better to fetishize the founders. Anna Wiener, The New Yorker, 27 Jan. 2025 But the twist of Harley being yet another leech off Arthur, plus fabricating her own traumatic backstory just to fetishize Arthur’s mental illness, was a disservice to the lore of Harley herself. Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 8 Oct. 2024 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 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fetishize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fetishize. Accessed 19 Apr. 2025.

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