polarize

[ poh-luh-rahyz ]

verb (used with object)

, po·lar·ized, po·lar·iz·ing.

1. to cause polarization in.
2. to divide into sharply opposing factions, political groups, etc.:

   The controversy has polarized voters into proabortion and antiabortion groups.

3. to give polarity to.

verb (used without object)

, po·lar·ized, po·lar·iz·ing.

1. to become polarized.

polarize

/ ˈpəʊləˌraɪz /

verb

1. to acquire or cause to acquire polarity
2. to acquire or cause to acquire polarization

   to polarize light

3. to cause people to adopt extreme opposing positions

   to polarize opinion

polarize

/ pō′lə-rīz′ /

1. To separate or accumulate positive and negative electric charges in two distinct regions. Polarized objects have an electric dipole moment and will undergo torque when placed in an external electric field.
2. To magnetize a substance so that it has the properties of a magnetic dipole, such as having a north and south pole.
3. To cause the electrical and magnetic fields associated with electromagnetic waves, especially light, to vibrate in a particular direction or path. The transverse electric and magnetic waves always vibrate at right angles to each other, but in ordinary unpolarized light sources, the direction of polarization of each wave is randomly distributed. Light can be polarized by reflection, and by passing through certain materials.
4. See more at polarization

Derived Forms

• ˈpolarˌizable, adjective

Other Words From

• po·lar·iz·a·ble [poh-l, uh, -, rahy, -z, uh, -b, uh, l], adjective
• po·lar·iz·a·bil·i·ty [poh-l, uh, -rahy-z, uh, -, bil, -i-tee], noun
• de·po·lar·ize verb (used with object) depolarized depolarizing
• non·po·lar·iz·a·ble adjective
• re·po·lar·ize verb (used with object) repolarized repolarizing

Word History and Origins

Origin of polarize¹

First recorded in 1805–15; polar + -ize

Example Sentences

That flash point foretells an America becoming more polarized the hotter things get, more sharply divided between its rural and urban communities and more hateful and more dangerous.

From Salon

Aside from increased competition, media companies are seeing advertisers become more skittish about running their ads in news programming, as they are turned off by the vitriol and divisiveness in the current polarized political landscape.

From Los Angeles Times

In a Seoul cafe with sweeping river views, South Korean media production company owner Jeon Ji, 35, said she had never seen such a polarized political climate.

From Los Angeles Times

But she also worries that in today’s polarized climate, election officials doing their due diligence to properly count the vote will be misinterpreted as opportunities for fraud.

From Los Angeles Times

In the latest New York Times/Siena College poll, Harris is winning 9% of Republican voters, which is surprisingly high in these polarized times.

From Salon

Related Words

• part
• separate