socialize

/ˈsəʊʃəlaɪz/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈsəʊʃəlaɪz/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈsō-shə-ˌlīz/ (ame, mw)

socialize — verb

1. to spend time with friends, family, or other people in a relaxed way because you

1.動詞不及物A2
釋義

to spend time with friends, family, or other people in a relaxed way because you enjoy their company, rather than because you have to work.

例句

Ayesha enjoys socializing with her colleagues after work at the local café.

socialize + with + someone after work

The conference gave Haruto a chance to socialize with other doctors from across Asia.

a chance to socialize + with + [group] at an event

同義詞
  • mix

    more informal; 'mix with' suggests moving among different people at an event (e.g. 'He mixed with guests from all departments.')

  • mingle

    slightly more formal; often used at parties or networking events ('Guests mingled in the garden before dinner.')

  • interact

    broader and more neutral; can include work-related or formal exchanges, not just enjoyment

  • hang out

    very informal; used for casual time with close friends ('They just hung out at the mall.')

反義詞
  • isolate

    to avoid contact with others or stay alone

  • withdraw

    to remove oneself from social situations deliberately

文法句型

socialize + with + someone

用法筆記

This sense is nearly always intransitive — it needs 'with' or a location phrase to say who or where you spend time with socially. In informal British English, 'socialise' is the usual spelling.

常見錯誤

❌I want to socialize my classmates.
✅I want to socialize with my classmates.
💡When 'socialize' means spending time for enjoyment, it must be followed by 'with' before the person or group.
❌We socialized at his house for three hours.
✅We spent three hours socializing at his house.
💡While grammatically acceptable, the continuous form (-ing) is far more natural for describing the activity.

2. to teach a person or an animal to behave in the ways that the group or society a

2.動詞及物B2
釋義

to teach a person or an animal to behave in the ways that the group or society around them considers normal and acceptable — for example, teaching children to share, or training a puppy to be calm around strangers.

例句

At school, children are socialized to follow rules and work together in groups.

passive: children are socialized to [do something]

Ezra's puppy was carefully socialized to feel safe around other dogs and new people.

同義詞
  • acculturate

    more formal and academic; refers specifically to adopting the cultural patterns of a group

  • assimilate

    implies a minority adopting the majority culture, often with loss of original identity

  • integrate

    focuses on becoming part of a group or system, not just learning behaviour

文法句型

be socialized + into + something

socialize + someone + to do something

用法筆記

Frequently used in the passive. The subject is usually an institution (family, school, society) and the object is a person or animal being trained. 'Socialize into' emphasizes the specific set of norms or roles being taught. Distinguish from Sense 1: Sense 2 is transitive (someone socializes someone else), whereas Sense 1 is intransitive (you socialize with others).

常見錯誤

❌Teachers socialize math skills to students.
✅Teachers help socialize students into the classroom community.
💡'Socialize' here is about teaching behaviour and social norms, not transmitting academic knowledge or skills.
❌We socialized the new employee.' (meaning we were friendly to them)
✅We socialized with the new employee.
💡The transitive sense (Sense 2) implies training in norms, not casual friendliness.

3. to organize and run an industry, a service, or a company according to socialist

3.動詞及物C1
釋義

to organize and run an industry, a service, or a company according to socialist principles, so that the community or the state owns and controls it instead of private individuals or shareholders.

例句

The new government proposed to socialize the country's entire healthcare system.

socialize + [service/sector]

Critics argued that plans to socialize the steel industry would reduce competition and raise costs.

同義詞
  • nationalize

    more common and specific — means the state takes ownership of an industry or company ('The government nationalized the railway system.')

  • collectivize

    implies pooling resources under group or state control, often used for agriculture

反義詞
  • privatize

    to transfer ownership from the state to private individuals or companies

文法句型

socialize + [industry/service]

be socialized + into [public ownership]

用法筆記

This sense is strongly tied to political and economic discussion. It is less common in everyday conversation and is rarely used with people as objects. Distinguish from Sense 2: Sense 3 is about reorganising institutions (industries, services) under state control, not about teaching individuals social norms.