problematize

English

Alternative forms

• problematise

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈpɹɒbləmətaɪz/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈpɹɑbləmətaɪz/

Verb

problematize (third-person singular simple present problematizes, present participle problematizing, simple past and past participle problematized)

1. (transitive) To make something into a problem.
   • 2021, Cate Quinn, Black Widows, page 289:

     "If the mob are involved in building a casino," Tina says, "offing some guy who's problematizing their plans is nothing to them. […]

2. (transitive) To consider something as if it were a problem.
   • 2024 September 19, Ahmed Yussuf, “Australia's population reaches 27 million with growth largely driven by overseas migration”, in ABC News, Australian Broadcasting Corporation:

     Dr Allen said it could affect social cohesion and potentially drive harmful rhetoric around migration when Australia's population change was problematised.

3. (intransitive) To propose problems.
   • 1629 (first performance), B[en] Jonson, The New Inne. Or, The Light Heart. […], London: […] Thomas Harper, for Thomas Alchorne, […], published 1631, →OCLC, (please specify the page), (please specify the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
     Act II, Scene vi

     Hear him problematize.

Translations

to consider something as if it were a problem

• Danish: problematisere (da)
• German: problematisieren (de)
• Swedish: problematisera (sv)

Portuguese

Verb

problematize

1. inflection of problematizar:
   1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
   2. third-person singular imperative