WordGarden.ioeditorialize
B2Pronunciation
UK
- /ˌɛdɪtˈɔːrɪəlˌaɪz/
US
- /ˌɛdəˈtɔriəˌlaɪz/
Meanings
Verb
to express an editorial opinion in writing or speech
to add personal opinion or bias while presenting facts
Beyond the definition
To editorialize means to add your own opinions or judgments while talking or writing about something. Instead of just giving the facts, you start shaping them with your own point of view. This often happens in news, but it can also happen in everyday conversation, essays, reviews, or online posts. A person may editorialize by using loaded words, making the facts sound more dramatic, or clearly pushing the listener toward a certain opinion.
Think of it this way: a chef might present ingredients (the facts), but editorializing is like the chef adding their own special sauce—a personal touch that changes how you experience the dish.
The word "editorialize" comes from journalism. At first, it referred to writing an editorial, which is a piece that gives opinions rather than plain news. Over time, the word came to mean something wider: speaking or writing in a way that mixes facts with personal judgment.
To editorialize is to go beyond saying what happened and start showing what you think about it. Sometimes that is done on purpose, as in an opinion column. Sometimes it happens without much thought, through word choice, tone, or emphasis. The key idea is that the speaker or writer is not staying neutral.
For example, a plain report might say, "The city council voted on a new zoning law." A more opinion-filled version might say, "The city council recklessly pushed through a disastrous new zoning law." The second sentence does more than report the event. It tells you how to judge it.
You can editorialize in writing, speech, or social media posts. In some settings, that is expected or even useful. In others, especially straight news reporting, it is usually seen as a problem because it blurs the line between fact and opinion.
So, if someone is not merely giving information but also coloring it with personal views, they are editorializing.
Examples
- 1
News reporting
The reporter was supposed to describe the protest, not editorialize.
- 2
Interview questions
He kept editorializing about the judge's decision instead of asking clear questions.
- 3
Meeting notes
Try not to editorialize in the meeting notes; just record what everyone said.
- 4
Biased captions
Even the photo captions seemed to editorialize, calling the plan "reckless" before readers saw the facts.
See also
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- editorializeverb
Forms
- editorializedpast tenseverb
- editorializing-ing formverb
- editorializesverb