What does vocalize mean?
Vocalize means to express or utter something aloud, particularly an opinion, concern, feeling, or demand that others should hear. Its use often suggests a deliberate public statement, as when a group of residents vocalizes objections at a meeting or an organization encourages employees to vocalize concerns. The word can also refer more broadly to using the voice, including the production of a sung or sustained sound. In general writing, the shorter and more familiar verb “voice” is often preferred: people say “voice their concerns” more frequently than they say “vocalize their concerns.” Nevertheless, “vocalize” is useful when the act of speaking aloud is itself important, because it emphasizes both expression and audibility. It appears in formal, institutional, and public-speaking contexts, while its British spelling is “vocalise.”
verbTo express or utter something aloud, especially by giving voice to an opinion, concern, feeling, or demand. It can also mean to make a sound with the voice.
- To express an opinion, concern, feeling, or demand aloud.
- To make a sound with the voice.
"Several parents vocalized their concerns at the school board meeting."
"Several parents vocalized their concerns at the school board meeting."
"The choir vocalized a sustained chord during the final movement."
Vocalize is the formal cousin of simply saying it out loud: its Latin roots point straight to the voice.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does vocalize come from?
Vocalize was formed in English from the adjective “vocal” and the suffix “-ize.” “Vocal” comes ultimately from Latin vocalis, meaning “of the voice” or “speaking,” which was derived from vox, Latin for “voice.” The same root underlies related words such as “vocalic” and “vocalist.”
Related word forms
How vocalize is actually used
Vocalize is common in formal and institutional contexts, especially when people are making concerns or opinions publicly known. In everyday speech, “voice” is often more natural. British English also commonly uses the spelling “vocalise.”
Easily confused with vocalize
To vocalize is to express something aloud, whereas to localize is to restrict or concentrate something in a particular place.