MEANING
1. To become or make an idea, pattern, or position clear and definite.
2. To form into crystals from a solution, melt, or vapor.
Use it for
Show an idea becoming definite or a crystal forming.A concise verb for an emerging idea or disagreement taking a clear, identifiable shape.
Words that belong together
- crystallize an argument
- a consensus crystallizes
- crystallize from solution
On the page
The interviews crystallized a question the survey had left vague.
Salt crystallized along the edge of the evaporating dish.
Nearby words
Opposite meanings
Word forms
- Base
- crystallize
- Past tense
- crystallized
- Past participle
- crystallized
- Present participle
- crystallizing
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- crystallize
- Present continuous
- am/is/are crystallizing
- Present perfect
- have/has crystallized
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been crystallizing
- Past
- crystallized
- Past continuous
- was/were crystallizing
- Past perfect
- had crystallized
- Past perfect continuous
- had been crystallizing
- Future
- will crystallize
- Future continuous
- will be crystallizing
- Future perfect
- will have crystallized
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been crystallizing
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
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Usage notes
Figurative use means an idea or pattern becomes definite; it does not necessarily mean that evidence has proved it true. Sense 2: Literal physical use describes crystal formation and is distinct from the figurative sense of ideas becoming definite.
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