materialize

verb

ma·​te·​ri·​al·​ize mə-ˈtir-ē-ə-ˌlīz 

materialized; materializing

transitive verb

1

a

: to make material : objectify

b

: to cause to appear in bodily form

materialize the spirits of the dead

2

: to cause to be materialistic

intransitive verb

1

: to assume bodily form

2

a

: to appear especially suddenly

b

: to come into existence

materializer noun

Synonyms

• actualize
• appear
• arise
• begin
• break
• commence
• dawn
• engender
• form
• originate
• set in
• spring
• start

Examples of materialize in a Sentence

A waiter suddenly materialized beside our table.

Rain clouds materialized on the horizon.

Recent Examples on the Web

White House officials hope the import taxes will create more manufacturing jobs by bringing production back to the United States -- a politically risky trade-off that could take years to materialize, if at all. —Arkansas Online, 12 Apr. 2025

While the extreme case may not materialize, many Wall Street forecasters believe a $3,000 price floor will likely hold. —Gaurav Sharma, Forbes.com, 11 Apr. 2025

Elliott’s introduction to the world with Supa Dupa Fly was a game-shifter, but her futuristic vision concretely materialized with Da Real World, so concerned with sounding beyond the time and seemingly approximating it. —Steven J. Horowitz, Vulture, 11 Apr. 2025

The win came after a dramatic final sequence where Houston's potential game-tying shot attempt never materialized as time expired, setting off a celebration for the Gators, who overcame a 12-point second-half deficit. —Analisa Novak, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1710, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Rhymes for materialize

• contextualize
• industrialize
• materialise
• memorialize
• microenterprise
• overemphasize
• particularize
• revolutionise
• revolutionize
• actualize
• antagonize
• apologise

Kids Definition

materialize

verb

ma·​te·​ri·​al·​ize mə-ˈtir-ē-ə-ˌlīz 

materialized; materializing

1

: to give material form and substance to

2

: to assume or cause to assume bodily form

a ghost materialized out of nowhere

3

a

: to come into existence

a promise that never materialized

b

: to appear suddenly