internalize

/ɪnˈtɝnəlaɪz/

//ɪnˈtɝnəlaɪz// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"internalize" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“internalize” is uncommon English (frequency #50,596 among 2,140 “I” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#50,596
frequency rank, English
2,140
“I” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To make something internal; to incorporate it in oneself.

Corpus desk

Index EN-internalize · internalize · English

internalize · rank #50,596 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #50,596
  • LEN-MEGA 11 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,140
  • PHOTO-FINISH innards

Nearest frequency peer: innards (-2 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “internalize”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “internalize” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for internalize
PropertyValue
Headwordinternalize
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɪnˈtɝnəlaɪz/
Letters11
Frequency rank#50,596
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “internalize” in English

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).internalizefalls in this rarity band:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Rare peers in the same band: “innards” (#50,594), “intranet” (#50,598), “intubation” (#50,599). Among 2,140 “I” headwords, “internalize” is #50,596. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

internalize is uncommon English at frequency #50,596 among 2,140 “I” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ɪnˈtɝnəlaɪz/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 4 senses are on record.

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for internalize, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From internal + -ize. The correct English form is internalize, spelled I-N-T-E-R-N-A-L-I-Z-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To make something internal; to incorporate it in oneself.
  2. 2
    To make something internal; to incorporate it in oneself.
  3. 3
    To store (a string or other structure) in a shared pool, such that subsequent items with the same value can share the same instance.
  4. 4
    To transfer stocks between brokers within an organization, rather than through the exchange.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

These source excerpts show how internalize appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Well, I can't get angry, okay? I mean, I have a tendency to internalize. I can't express anger. That's one of the problems I have—I grow a tumor instead.

Etymology

From internal + -ize.

This word in other languages

interiorizar(Español)intérioriser(Français)verinnerlichen(Deutsch)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "internalize"?
"internalize" is spelled I-N-T-E-R-N-A-L-I-Z-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪnˈtɝnəlaɪz/.
What does "internalize" mean?
As a verb, "internalize" means: To make something internal; to incorporate it in oneself.
How do you pronounce "internalize"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "internalize" is /ɪnˈtɝnəlaɪz/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "internalize"?
From internal + -ize. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "internalize", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 11 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

headquarter#50,561haphazardly#50,554manoeuvring#50,652misspelling#50,673

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list