sexualize

/ˈsɛk.ʃu.əl.aɪz/

//ˈsɛk.ʃu.əl.aɪz// verb

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

"sexualize" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“sexualize” is uncommon English (frequency #85,763 among 54,294 “S” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#85,763
frequency rank, English
54,294
“S” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To render sexual, or apply sex appeal to (a person, thing, or concept).

Key facts for sexualize
PropertyValue
Headwordsexualize
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈsɛk.ʃu.əl.aɪz/
Letters9
Frequency rank#85,763
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “sexualize” 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). sexualize 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

sexualize is uncommon English at frequency #85,763 among 54,294 “S” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ˈsɛk.ʃu.əl.aɪz/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for sexualize, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.

Etymologically, the entry records: From sexual + -ize. The correct English form is sexualize, spelled S-E-X-U-A-L-I-Z-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To render sexual, or apply sex appeal to (a person, thing, or concept).
  2. 2
    To distinguish as belonging to separate sexes.

Etymology

From sexual + -ize.

This word in other languages

sexualiser(Français)

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 "sexualize"?
"sexualize" is spelled S-E-X-U-A-L-I-Z-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈsɛk.ʃu.əl.aɪz/.
What does "sexualize" mean?
As a verb, "sexualize" means: To render sexual, or apply sex appeal to (a person, thing, or concept).
How do you pronounce "sexualize"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "sexualize" is /ˈsɛk.ʃu.əl.aɪz/. 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 "sexualize"?
From sexual + -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 “sexualize”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is S-E-X-U-A-L-I-Z-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈsɛk.ʃu.əl.aɪz/ (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