academise
v. C1 Advanced academise
v. to make something sound more formal or academic than it really is. You use this when someone uses big, complicated words to sound smart, even if they are not necessary.
v. to use academic or formal language unnecessarily to impress others. Often used to describe the act of overcomplicating a simple idea with jargon.
He tried to academise his speech to sound more professional.
The student was criticized for academising her essay by using complex vocabulary that did not fit the topic.
While some level of technical precision is expected in academic writing, the professor warned against academising to the point where the core argument becomes obscured by excessive jargon.