summarize

verb

sum·​ma·​rize ˈsə-mə-ˌrīz 

summarized; summarizing

transitive verb

: to tell in or reduce to a summary

intransitive verb

: to make a summary

summarizable

ˌsə-mə-ˈrī-zə-bəl 

adjective

summarizer noun

Synonyms

• abstract
• boil down
• brief
• digest
• encapsulate
• epitomize
• outline
• recap
• recapitulate
• reprise
• sum up
• synopsize
• wrap up

Examples of summarize in a Sentence

I would like to take a moment to summarize the facts that I presented earlier.

He summarized by saying we needed better planning and implementation.

To summarize, we need better schools.

Recent Examples on the Web

But to summarize, he was born in San Benito, Texas — not far from Brownsville and the Mexico border town of Matamoros — and raised by his mother in a nearby trailer park. —Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 1 Apr. 2025

According to Dewey's Instagram Stories summarizing the fatal incident, the toddler was playing with a suction cup bowl by sticking it onto a mirror and pulling it back and forth. —Zoey Lyttle, People.com, 1 Apr. 2025

This is not a secret — these thoughts have been discussed before; AI just needs to summarize them into a concise plan. —Lutz Finger, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025

This content was summarized by generative artificial intelligence using public filings retrieved from SEC.gov. —Quartz Intelligence Newsroom, Quartz, 28 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1832, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for summarize

• advertise
• aggrandize
• agonize
• alibis
• alkalies
• alkalis
• amortize
• amplifies
• analyse
• analyze
• anywise
• authorize

Kids Definition

summarize

verb

sum·​ma·​rize ˈsəm-ə-ˌrīz 

summarized; summarizing

1

: to tell in or reduce to a summary

2

: to make a summary

summarizable

ˌsəm-ə-ˈrī-zə-bəl 

adjective

summarizer noun