motorized

IPA/ˈməʊtəraɪzd/
KK[mˈotɚˌaɪzd]IPA/ˈməʊtəraɪzd/

motorized — adjective

  • motorizedpositive
  • more motorizedcomparative
  • most motorizedsuperlative

1. built with its own motor or engine, so it can move or work without being pushed

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

built with its own motor or engine, so it can move or work without being pushed or worked by hand.

Example

The campground rents motorized scooters to visitors with tired knees.

motorized + vehicle noun

Putri chose motorized blinds because the windows were too high.

motorized + home equipment noun

Common collocations
  • motorized scooter
  • motorized blinds
  • motorized boat
  • motorized lift
  • motorized gate
Synonyms
  • powered

    broader, because the energy source does not have to be a motor

  • electric

    best when the item runs specifically on electricity

  • mechanized

    more formal and often used for larger equipment or systems

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

motorized + vehicle/equipment noun

be motorized

Usage Note

Usually describes equipment, gates, blinds, or small vehicles, and it often contrasts with manual versions. Distinguish from adjective sense 2: this sense tells you that one object has a motor built into it.

Common Mistakes

The chair is motorized by a battery.
The chair is motorized and runs on a battery.
'motorized' describes the item; use another verb to name the power source.

2. describes soldiers or other groups that travel or carry supplies in engine-power

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

describes soldiers or other groups that travel or carry supplies in engine-powered vehicles instead of moving on foot.

Example

The army sent a motorized unit to carry food into the valley.

motorized + unit

By noon, the brigade was fully motorized and no longer marched from town to town.

be fully motorized

Common collocations
  • motorized unit
  • motorized brigade
  • motorized patrol
  • motorized team
  • motorized division
Synonyms
  • mechanized

    more formal and especially common in military writing

  • vehicle-borne

    formal and narrower, often used for movement by transport vehicles

Antonyms
  • on foot

    describes movement without vehicles

  • dismounted

    used when troops leave their vehicles and continue walking

Grammar Patterns

motorized + unit/team/division

be fully motorized

Usage Note

Most often used before nouns such as unit, patrol, brigade, or division to stress transport by vehicles. Distinguish from adjective sense 1: this sense is about how people or groups move, not whether a single object has a motor.

Common Mistakes

The unit became motorized with more soldiers.
The unit became motorized with more vehicles.
this sense is about transport by vehicles, not simply adding personnel.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

'Motorized' says that something has a motor that lets it move or operate without direct hand power. It works especially well for scooters, blinds, gates, wheelchairs, and small work equipment. 'Powered' is broader: a powered device may run on a motor, electricity, batteries, or another energy source. 'Electric' is the everyday choice when the source is clearly electricity. 'Mechanized' is more formal and often points to larger systems, factories, farms, or military transport rather than one small object. So a gate or scooter is often motorized, a lamp may be powered, a kettle is electric, and a harvesting system is mechanized.

motorized ↗powered ↗electric ↗mechanized ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • fully motorized unit
  • motorized transport

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Built in English from the noun 'motor' and the verb-forming ending '-ize', then used as an adjective in its '-ed' form. The noun 'motor' came into English through French from Latin words connected with movement, which is why 'motorized' keeps the idea of something being set in motion by a machine.