symbolize

especially British, sym·bol·ise

[sim-buh-lahyz]

verb (used with object)

symbolized, symbolizing 

1. to be a symbol of; stand for or represent in the manner of a symbol.

2. to represent by a symbol or symbols.

3. to regard or treat as symbolic.

verb (used without object)

symbolized, symbolizing 

1. to use symbols.

symbolize

/ ˈsɪmbəˌlaɪz /

verb

1. (tr) to serve as or be a symbol of

2. to represent by a symbol or symbols

3. (intr) to use symbols

4. (tr) to treat or regard as symbolic or figurative

Other Word Forms

• symbolization noun
• resymbolize verb
• unsymbolized adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of symbolize¹

From the New Latin word symbolizāre, dating back to 1580–90. See symbol, -ize

Example Sentences

Wearing a suit jacket and tie, with a full head of hair and a confident look on his face, he symbolized the potential and peril of being a Mexican American in the United States.

From Los Angeles Times

What she symbolizes to women and little black girls everywhere, however, matters greatly.

From Salon

The house’s movement as it curves around the pool “breaks out of the rigid house construct,” Yi says, and it’s a deliberate design choice that symbolizes the blending of Chinese and American cultural elements.

From Los Angeles Times

A franchise namesake born from L.A.’s history of tumultuous racial unrest — evoking memories of the 1992 Rodney King riots — also symbolizes a movement, rebellion and cultural takeover, just as Ice Cube envisioned.

From Los Angeles Times

It’s not only that Norma symbolizes our corrosive need for attention — “an archetypal figure that embodies our compulsive search for fame and acceptance,” as he puts it.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• embody 
• epitomize 
• exemplify 
• illustrate 
• indicate 
• mean 
• mirror 
• personify 
• signify 
• suggest 
• typify