radicalize

/ˈɹædɪkəlaɪz/

//ˈɹædɪkəlaɪz// verb

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

"radicalize" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“radicalize” is uncommon English (frequency #85,682 among 21,470 “R” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#85,682
frequency rank, English
21,470
“R” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To make radical.

Key facts for radicalize
PropertyValue
Headwordradicalize
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈɹædɪkəlaɪz/
Letters10
Frequency rank#85,682
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “radicalize” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). radicalize lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

radicalize is uncommon English at frequency #85,682 among 21,470 “R” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ˈɹædɪkəlaɪz/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for radicalize, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: From radical + -ize. The correct English form is radicalize, spelled R-A-D-I-C-A-L-I-Z-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To make radical.
  2. 2
    To become radical; to adopt a radical political stance.

Etymology

From radical + -ize.

This word in other languages

radicalizar(Español)radicaliser(Français)radikalisieren(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 "radicalize"?
"radicalize" is spelled R-A-D-I-C-A-L-I-Z-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɹædɪkəlaɪz/.
What does "radicalize" mean?
As a verb, "radicalize" means: To make radical.
How do you pronounce "radicalize"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "radicalize" is /ˈɹædɪkəlaɪz/. 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 "radicalize"?
From radical + -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.

Using “radicalize”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is R-A-D-I-C-A-L-I-Z-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɹædɪkəlaɪz/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list