capitalize

Language: en

🇺🇸 /ˈkæpətəˌlaɪz/

📖 Definitions

  1. verb
    To write or print a letter in capital form, especially as the first letter of a word or sentence.; To convert assets into capital; to provide with capital or funding.; To take advantage of a situation or opportunity for personal gain or benefit.; To estimate the present value of a future income stream or asset.; To record an expenditure as an asset on the balance sheet rather than as an expense.; To supply with a capital letter or letters; to begin with a capital letter.

🔗 Details

Word forms

3rd sing.: capitalizes Past: capitalized Past part.: capitalized Pres part.: capitalizing

Collocations

capitalize oncapitalize on an opportunitycapitalize on the situationcapitalize on successcapitalize on a mistakecapitalize on the trend

Derivatives

capitalizationcapitalcapitalistcapitalismrecapitalize

Synonyms

exploitleveragetake advantage ofprofit fromutilizemaximize

Antonyms

wastesquandermissoverlook

Commonly confused

capitalise
EN: 'Capitalise' is simply the British English spelling variant of 'capitalize'; both mean the same thing.
capital
EN: 'Capital' is a noun (or adjective) referring to wealth, a city, or uppercase letters; 'capitalize' is the verb form meaning to take advantage of or to write in capitals.

Spelling tips

EN: In British English, 'capitalize' is spelled 'capitalise' with an 's' instead of 'z'. Both are correct in their respective dialects.

💬 Examples

  1. Remember to capitalize the first letter of every proper noun.

  2. The company was capitalized with an initial investment of five million dollars.

  3. She capitalized on her opponent's mistake to win the match.

  4. The analyst capitalized the expected earnings at a rate of eight percent.

  5. The firm decided to capitalize the cost of the new software over three years.

  6. The word 'English' should always be capitalized.