WordGarden.iointernalize
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /ɪntˈɜːnəlˌaɪz/
US
- /ˌɪnˈtɜrnəˌlaɪz/
Meanings
Verb
to make a belief, value, or norm part of one's own thinking
to learn something so well that it becomes automatic or natural
to direct emotions, blame, or distress inward rather than express them outwardly
More meaningsFewer meanings
to include external costs or effects in a price, budget, or decision
Beyond the definition
Imagine learning to ride a bike. At first, you think about balancing, pedaling, and steering. It all takes conscious effort. But after practice, those actions become automatic; you just ride. That is what it means to internalize something. You do not just know it on the surface. You take it in so deeply that it becomes a natural part of how you think, feel, or act. A child might internalize their parents' values about honesty, or a musician might internalize music theory until they can improvise with ease.
To internalize something is to absorb it so deeply that it becomes part of your beliefs, attitudes, habits, or skills. It is more than simply understanding information. It means taking it in so fully that it starts to guide your behavior almost automatically. Think of a lesson learned the hard way: if you truly internalize it, you probably will not make the same mistake again.
The word suggests a process in which something from the outside becomes part of your inner world. A child who grows up hearing "treat others how you want to be treated" might eventually internalize that idea and act with empathy naturally. In the same way, an athlete might internalize a technique through repetition until they can do it smoothly without thinking.
Internalization is not always positive. Someone exposed to negative messages can also internalize harmful beliefs about themselves or others. That is why this process matters in fields like psychology and education. It helps explain how values, biases, and behavior are formed.
So, whether it is a moral lesson, a skill, or even a prejudice, to internalize something is to make it truly your own, shaping who you are from the inside out.
Examples
- 1
Safety rules
It took me a few weeks to internalize the new safety rules.
- 2
Family attitudes
Children often internalize the attitudes they hear at home.
- 3
Learned belief
She had internalized the idea that asking for help was a weakness.
- Patterninternalize the idea that...
come to accept that belief as true
- 4
Musical practice
After years of practice, he had internalized the rhythm and no longer had to count each beat.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Online comments
Don’t internalize every rude comment you hear online.
See also
Similar
- absorb
- assimilate
- take in
Shades of meaning
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- internalize values
- internalize a belief
- internalize criticism
- internalize blame
Word family
Explore
- socialization
- self-concept
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- internalizeverb
Forms
- internalizedpast tenseverb
- internalizing-ing formverb
- internalizesverb