verb (used with object), rev·o·lu·tion·ized, rev·o·lu·tion·iz·ing.
- to bring about a revolution in; effect a radical change in: to revolutionize petroleum refining methods.
- to subject to a political revolution.
verb (tr)
- to bring about a radical change inscience has revolutionized civilization
- to inspire or infect with revolutionary ideasthey revolutionized the common soldiers
- to cause a revolution in (a country, etc)
1797, “to cause to undergo a (political) revolution;” see revolution + -ize. Transferred sense of “to change a thing completely and fundamentally” is first recorded 1799. Related: Revolutionized; revolutionizing.