Definition

1. Verb (transitive):

   • To cause something to become political in nature or character; to bring a political aspect or interpretation to a subject, event, or issue.
   • To make someone politically aware or active.

2. Verb (intransitive):

   • To engage in or discuss politics.

Usage and Examples

• Transitive Verb:

  • The media's coverage served to politicize the tragedy, turning a local crime into a national debate on gun laws.
  • Activists accused the government of trying to politicize the scientific findings to support its agenda.
  • We must not politicize this humanitarian crisis; aid should be given based on need alone.

• Intransitive Verb (less common):

  • After the new policy was announced, citizens began to politicize more actively in their communities.

Advanced Usage and Nuances

• "To become politicized": Describes the state of an issue or group that has acquired political dimensions.
  • The environmental movement has become increasingly politicized over the last decade.
• Often carries a negative connotation, implying that introducing politics into a situation is inappropriate, manipulative, or divisive.
  • Critics argued that appointing the donor was an attempt to politicize the independent commission.

Variants and Related Words

• Politicization (noun): The process of making something political.
  • The politicization of public health directives eroded public trust.
• Politicized (adjective): Having been made political.
  • The report was dismissed as politicized and biased.
• Depoliticize (verb): To remove political character or influence from something.
  • The new leader promised to depoliticize the civil service.

Synonyms

• Politicise (UK spelling variant)
• Make political
• Inject politics into

Antonyms

• Depoliticize
• Neutralize
• Keep/apart from politics

Related Phrases and Contexts

• "Politicize an issue": To frame a topic as a political matter, often to gain partisan advantage.
• "Politicize a process": To introduce political considerations into a decision-making process that should be objective (e.g., judicial, scientific).
• The term is frequently used in discussions about media, science, education, art, and bureaucracy, where there is debate over whether political perspectives should influence the domain.

Verb

1. give a political character to
   • politicize the discussion