What does vulgarize mean?
Vulgarize means to make something coarse, tasteless, indecent, or otherwise vulgar, often by stripping away subtlety, dignity, or artistic value. It is commonly used when discussing the treatment of literature, culture, language, religion, or traditional art. The verb has a strongly negative connotation: to vulgarize something is not merely to make it broadly accessible, but to present or transform it in a way considered undignified or offensive. Its historical sense was broader, meaning to make something common or popular. That earlier meaning survives mainly in specialized or dated usage, while the modern dominant sense concerns a decline in refinement. Vulgarize is therefore a useful verb when the problem is not popularity itself but the loss of meaning, subtlety, or cultural respect that may accompany a simplified or commercialized treatment. The related adjective vulgar, and the noun vulgarity, emphasize the coarse or indecent quality that the verb describes.
verbTo make something vulgar; render it coarse, tasteless, or indecent. Historically, the word also meant to make something common or accessible to the general public.
- To make something coarse, tasteless, indecent, or otherwise vulgar.
- To make something common, popular, or accessible to the general public; now largely historical.
"The adaptation was accused of vulgarizing the novel's delicate satire by turning it into sentimental entertainment."
"The commentator accused the adaptation of vulgarizing the novel's delicate satire."
"Commercialization can vulgarize a cultural tradition by reducing it to a marketable gimmick."
Vulgarize began by making something common; over time, it became a warning label for making it coarse.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of vulgarize
The word comes through French vulgariser, from Latin vulgaris, meaning “of or belonging to the common people.” In English, it originally carried the sense of making something common or popular, while its now-dominant sense of making something coarse or indecent developed later. The Latin root vulgaris is also shared by words such as vulgar, vulgarity, and vulgarian.
Related word forms
How vulgarize is actually used
Vulgarize is generally formal and evaluative, implying that refinement, dignity, or artistic value has been diminished. The British spelling vulgarise is also standard. The older sense of making something common or popular is now uncommon and often context-dependent.
Easily confused with vulgarize
Vulgar is primarily an adjective meaning coarse, indecent, or lacking refinement, whereas vulgarize is a verb meaning to make something vulgar.