English Reference

Word

normalize

Phoneticsnor·mal·ize

/ˈnɔɹməˌɫaɪz/

UK spelling · normalise

Definition

v. to make something standard or usual so that it is easier to compare with other things. In computing, it means adjusting data so that the largest value is 1.

v. to make something conform to a standard or to bring it to a common scale. In a mathematical or statistical context, it involves scaling a set of values so that the maximum value is 1.

Examples

“The software automatically normalizes the data before the analysis begins.”

“To compare the two sets of results fairly, the researchers had to normalize the measurements against the control group.”

“The algorithm normalizes the input signals to ensure that variations in amplitude do not affect the subsequent classification of the audio samples.”

Examples

simple

“The software automatically normalizes the data before the analysis begins.”

contextual

“To compare the two sets of results fairly, the researchers had to normalize the measurements against the control group.”

complex

“The algorithm normalizes the input signals to ensure that variations in amplitude do not affect the subsequent classification of the audio samples.”

Real-World Examples

Common in history writing

“She acknowledged the “political risk” in sharing personal family planning details but stated her goal is to normalise conversations about the professional and personal challenges women face.”
The Guardian · 15 Aug 2026
“And prices will stay sticky, even if the harvests in Brazil and in Vietnam normalise and the price of raw coffee retreats a little.”
BBC News · 28 May 2026

Etymology

From normal + -ize.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

normalizationNounnormalizeVerb

Domains

ComputingMathematicsStatistics

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/normalize

English Reference