Word family noun modernity modernization modernism modernist modernity modernizer modernization adjective modern modernist modernistic verb modernize
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishmodernizemod‧ern‧ize (also modernise British English) /ˈmɒdənaɪz $ ˈmɑːdər-/ ●○○ verb 1 [transitive]NOW to make something such as a system or building more modern They need more funds to modernize the country’s telephone system. a tastefully modernized old farmhouse2 [intransitive]MODERN to start using more modern methods and equipment The business will lose money if it doesn’t modernize. —modernizer noun [countable] the conflict between the modernizers and the conservatives —modernization /ˌmɒdənaɪˈzeɪʃən $ ˌmɑːdərnə-/ noun [uncountable] the modernization of the railway system→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
modernize• Their town house had been sold, lingeringly, with rearguard modernizing actions to keep up its price.• It was an old farmhouse that had been modernized by the previous owner.• Any money raised will be used to modernize classrooms.• Salinas pledged to modernize Mexico when he was elected.• And why is modernizing motherhood so hard?• Rather, O Brother is filled with faithful if somewhat modernized renditions of the folky music of the Old South.• A serious delay in modernizing the complex could threaten that compromise.• Our aim was to modernize the health service, and we succeeded.• Mr Wilson had also said a good deal about modernizing the machinery of government.• This was an important step towards a national health service, though in practice few authorities did much to modernize their facilities.From Longman Business Dictionarymodernizemod‧ern‧ize /ˈmɒdənaɪzˈmɑːdər-/ (also modernise British English) verb [intransitive, transitive] to make something such as a system or building more modernThe factory has been completely modernized.→ See Verb table 