Meaning & use
uberize
Last updated
Meanings
verbtransitivebusinessinformal
To change an industry or service so that it works through a mobile app connecting customers directly with independent workers.
Grammar: Takes an object: uberize the taxi market. Often used in the passive: the industry was uberized.
Patterns
- uberize something
- be uberized by something
New technology has uberized the way we order food, with apps replacing phone calls to restaurants.
Some argue that ride-hailing companies have uberized public transport in many cities.
The retail sector is being uberized as more shoppers use delivery apps.
verbtransitivebusinessinformal
To adopt or imitate the business methods of Uber, especially using freelance workers and dynamic pricing.
Grammar: Takes an object: uberize a workforce. Can be used in the passive: the workforce was uberized.
Patterns
- uberize something
- uberize a workforce
The company decided to uberize its delivery staff by hiring independent contractors.
Many startups try to uberize their operations to reduce costs.
Word forms
| third person singular | uberizes |
|---|---|
| past tense | uberized |
| past participle | uberized |
| present participle | uberizing |
Common combinations
- uberize an industry
- Digital platforms have uberized the hotel industry, allowing people to rent out rooms.
- uberize the economy
- Some economists worry that the gig economy is uberizing the entire workforce.
- be uberized
- Traditional taxi services have been uberized in many major cities.
Synonyms and how they differ
- disrupt
- Disrupt is broader and means to change an industry radically; uberize is more specific to the app-based, gig-worker model.
- platformize
- Platformize means to turn a service into a digital platform; uberize emphasizes the use of independent contractors like Uber.
Word family
- uberization noun
- The process of uberizing an industry or service.
Commonly confused: uberize or Uber?
uberize vs Uber
Uber is the company name; uberize is the verb derived from it, meaning to copy its business model.
Practice
The new app has ______ the way people hire cleaners, connecting them directly with clients.
Choose one answer.
The present perfect 'has' requires the past participle 'uberized'. 'Uberize' is the base form, 'uberizing' is the present participle, and 'uberizes' is third person singular, none of which fit after 'has'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “uberize”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.