externalize
verb
ex·ter·nal·ize
ek-ˈstər-nə-ˌlīz 
externalized; externalizing
1
: to make external or externally manifest
2
: to attribute to causes outside the self : rationalize
externalized his lack of ability to succeed
Examples of externalize in a Sentence
an actress with an expressive face that wonderfully externalizes a wide range of emotions
Recent Examples on the Web
The ecological catastrophes of unfettered industrial development demonstrate how markets, left to their own devices, routinely externalize costs onto society and future generations.
—
David Faris, Newsweek, 26 Feb. 2025
The shift toward internalizing change as opposed to externalizing it is a powerful one.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes, 18 Feb. 2025
The dark inclinations of Oh, Hi! are a welcome change to the modern rom-com formula, externalizing Iris’ millennial romantic anxiety into a full emotional breakdown.
—Jourdain Searles, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 Jan. 2025
Emotional resilience helps people regulate internal states and externalize those emotions properly.
—Contributed Content, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for externalize
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David Faris, Newsweek, 26 Feb. 2025
The shift toward internalizing change as opposed to externalizing it is a powerful one.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes, 18 Feb. 2025
The dark inclinations of Oh, Hi! are a welcome change to the modern rom-com formula, externalizing Iris’ millennial romantic anxiety into a full emotional breakdown.
—Jourdain Searles, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 Jan. 2025
Emotional resilience helps people regulate internal states and externalize those emotions properly.
—Contributed Content, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for externalize
Cite this Entry
“Externalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/externalize. Accessed 6 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
externalize
transitive verb
ex·ter·nal·ize
variants
or British externalise
externalized or British externalised; externalizing or British externalising
1
a
: to transform from a mental image into an apparently real object (as in hallucinations) : attribute (a mental image) to external causation
externalizing an obsession
b
: to invent an explanation for (an inner problem whose actual basis is known only subconsciously) by attributing to causes outside the self : rationalize, project
externalized his failure
2
: to direct outward socially
externalized her anger
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