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YOUR VOCABULARY, ONE WORD AT A TIME

polarise

Verb

IPA /ˈpəʊləraɪz/

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Meaning in plain English

To divide people into two groups with sharply opposing opinions.

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Pronunciation

polarise/ˈpəʊləraɪz/

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  1. One community discusses a plan

  2. Opinions move far apart

  3. Two opposing sides emerge

A controversial plan can polarise a community into groups with sharply different views.

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  1. The plan to close the road polarised our neighbourhood.
  2. The proposed exam changes polarised staff opinion.

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To divide people into two groups with sharply opposing opinions.
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polarise — To divide people into two groups with sharply opposing opinions.

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To divide people into two groups with sharply opposing opinions.

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Word origin

From French polariser, first used in optics; the sense of dividing opinions developed later.

Did you know?

You can polarise opinion, or say that opinion has become polarised.

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@englishskillstudio

polarise

/ˈpəʊləraɪz/ (Verb)

“Polarise and polarize are both British spellings; American English normally uses polarize.”

englishskillstudio.com