Meaning & use
catalyze
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Meanings
verbtransitiveformal
To start or speed up a change, event, or movement, usually by being the trigger that sets it off.
Grammar: Takes an object: the speech catalyzed a reform movement. British spelling is catalyse.
Patterns
- catalyze something
- catalyze change
The scandal catalyzed a push for stronger rules.
A single viral video helped catalyze the protests.
The new teacher's enthusiasm catalyzed the whole class.
verbtransitivechemistrytechnical
To make a chemical reaction happen faster by using a substance that is not used up in the reaction.
Grammar: The subject is a catalyst or enzyme: enzymes catalyze reactions.
Patterns
- catalyze a reaction
Enzymes in the saliva catalyze the breakdown of starch.
Platinum is used to catalyze the reaction inside the converter.
The metal catalyzes the reaction at a much lower temperature.
Word forms
| third person singular | catalyzes |
|---|---|
| past tense | catalyzed |
| past participle | catalyzed |
| -ing form | catalyzing |
Common combinations
- catalyze change
- The report helped catalyze change across the industry.
- catalyze a reaction
- Enzymes catalyze reactions in every living cell.
- catalyze growth
- New investment could catalyze growth in the region.
- catalyze action
- The flood catalyzed action on climate policy.
- help catalyze
- The workshop helped catalyze new ideas among the staff.
Synonyms and how they differ
- trigger
- Trigger often suggests a sudden start and may be negative, while catalyze suggests spurring something that was ready to develop.
- spark
- Spark is more informal and dramatic, while catalyze is more formal and suggests a more lasting influence.
- accelerate
- Accelerate means to speed up something already happening, whereas catalyze can also mean getting it started.
- precipitate
- Precipitate is formal and usually refers to bringing about something sudden or bad, while catalyze is more neutral.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: catalyze or catalyst?
catalyze vs catalyst
Catalyst is the noun for the thing that causes the change, while catalyze is the verb for causing it: a catalyst catalyzes a reaction.
Practice
The report on air pollution helped ___ a national debate about city traffic.
Choose one answer.
Catalyze means to trigger or speed up a development, which fits starting a debate. Catalogue, calibrate and cancel have different meanings.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “catalyze”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.