systematize

American  

[sis-tuh-muh-tahyz] / ˈsɪs tə məˌtaɪz /

especially British, systematise

verb (used with object)

systematized, systematizing

1. to arrange in or according to a system; reduce to a system; make systematic.

   Synonyms:

   articulate, order, organize

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systematize British  

/ ˈsɪstɪməˌtaɪz /

verb

1. (tr) to arrange in a system

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Other Word Forms

• nonsystematized adjective
• oversystematize verb (used with object)
• quasi-systematized adjective
• resystematization noun
• resystematize verb (used with object)
• systematization noun
• systematizer noun
• unsystematized adjective
• unsystematizing adjective
• well-systematized adjective

Etymology

Origin of systematize

1755–65; < Greek systēmat- (stem of sýstēma ) system + -ize

Explanation

To systematize is to organize things into coherent groups or according to a specific plan. If cleaning your room feels overwhelming, you should systematize the job, breaking it down into orderly steps first. Whenever you arrange or organize something with a system in mind, you're systematizing. Math teachers systematize the subject before attempting to explain it to students, sorting concepts into an order that makes sense and organizing lessons so they gradually increase in difficulty. To teach your dog to shake your hand with his paw, you first need to systematize your training, starting with "sit," and working your way methodically toward your goal.

Example Sentences

“The CEO’s attention flits onto something else, and they never systematize the change,” Sigelman said.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 28, 2024

Home economics started out as a way to systematize how you kept house so you did it as efficiently as possible.

From Salon • May 9, 2021

For years we’ve opted not to make a massive public investment in elder care, or to systematize and formalize the ad hoc system it has created.

From Slate • Mar. 11, 2020

Overall, Italian merchants, borrowing from their Arab and Turkic trading partners, pioneered efforts to rationalize and systematize business itself in order to make it more predictable and reliable.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2020

It was trying to explain, describe, and systematize musical practices that were already flourishing because people liked the way they sounded.

From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones