Dictionary

optimize en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˈɑptɪmaɪz/ (General-American)
• (US) audio
• /ˈɒptɪmaɪz/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁ep-der. Proto-Indo-European *h₁épsder. Proto-Indo-European *h₁épi Proto-Indo-European *-tm̥mos ? Latin optimus Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íd͏̌d͏̌ō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō) Proto-Indo-European *-mos Proto-Indo-European *-mós Ancient Greek -μός (-mós) Ancient Greek -ῐσμός (-ĭsmós)bor. Latin -ismusbor. French -isme French optim(isme) ▲ Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō) Proto-Hellenic *-tās Ancient Greek -τής (-tḗs) Ancient Greek -ῐστής (-ĭstḗs)bor. Latin -istabor. French -iste French optimistebor. English optimistbf. English optimize Back-formation from optimist. First attested in 1844.

Meanings

1. To act optimistically or as an optimist.
2. (transitive) To make (something) optimal.
   • We need to optimize the supply chain to reduce costs.
   • As I have taken pains to point out, AI's goals and instructions may be quite different from the ones it reports it's using, instructions that may also be quite different from the ones we've given it. It may also be optimizing its "rewards" by masking its operations even from those who believe they're "controlling" the AI. 2026 June 17, Charles Hugh Smith, What AI Is and Is Not-- or, When Electrocution of Innocents Becomes Profitable:
3. (transitive) To make (something) more efficient, such as a computer program.
   • A high level of analyst expertise is required to optimize instrument parameters and correct for matrix interferences either during the sample preparation phase or the data analysis phase. 2003, NIOSH (editors), NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods — Chapter R (XRD methods):
   • The website was redesigned to optimize user experience.
   • He used software to optimize the performance of his computer.
   • It is the policy of the United States to optimize and target Federal investments in workforce development to align with our country's reindustrialization needs. 2025, Donald Trump, Executive Order 14278 (2025):
   • Source-to-source program transformations which optimize the resulting code are central to the approach described here. 1978, Guy L. Steele Jr., Rabbit: A Compiler for Scheme (Chapter 11):
4. (intransitive) To become optimal.

Forms

Deriveds

misoptimize · overoptimize · optimizable · deoptimize · reoptimize · optimizer · preoptimize · underoptimize · optimize out · deoptimized · unoptimized · optimization · nonoptimized

Relateds

optimal · optimist · optimism · optimum

Synonyms

enhance (to make more efficient) · perfect (to make more efficient) · improve (to make more efficient) · hone (to make more efficient) · to make optimal

Translations (60)

uk оптимізува́ти (to make (something) optimal) · mi arotau (to make (something) more efficient) · fr optimiser (to make (something) optimal) · pt otimizar (to make (something) optimal) · cs optimalizovat (to make (something) more efficient) · nl perfectioneren (to make (something) optimal) · hu optimalizál (to make (something) more efficient) · es optimar (to make (something) more efficient) · cmn 优化 (to make (something) optimal) · fi optimoida (to make (something) more efficient) · nl optimaliseren (to become optimal) · ru оптимизи́роваться (to become optimal) · it ottimizzare (to make (something) more efficient) · nl optimaliseren (to make (something) more efficient) · fi optimoida (to make (something) optimal) · mi whakaarotau (to make (something) optimal) · pl optymalizować (to make (something) optimal) · bg оптимист съм (to act optimistically) · de optimieren (to make (something) optimal) · ru оптимизи́ровать (to make (something) optimal) · fi tehostaa (to make (something) more efficient) · id mengoptimalkan (to make (something) optimal) · hu optimalizál (to make (something) optimal) · sv optimera (to make (something) optimal) · es eficientizar (to make (something) more efficient) · fa بهینیدن (to make (something) more efficient) · fr agir en optimiste (to act optimistically) · nl optimaliseren (to make (something) optimal) · el βελτιστοποιώ (to make (something) optimal) · ro optimiza (to make (something) optimal) · es optimizar (to make (something) more efficient) · fi optimoida (to become optimal) · da optimere (to make (something) more efficient) · nl optimistisch zijn/handelen (to act optimistically) · es eficientar (to make (something) more efficient) · ru оптимизи́ровать (to make (something) more efficient) · es optimar (to make (something) optimal) · sv optimera (to make (something) more efficient) · cmn 优化 (to make (something) more efficient) · mi whakamarohi (to make (something) more efficient) · mi whakamarohi (to make (something) optimal) · bg оптимизирам (to make (something) optimal) · da optimere (to become optimal) · nl verbeteren (to make (something) more efficient) · es optimizar (to act optimistically) · da optimere (to make (something) optimal) · de optimieren (to make (something) more efficient) · gl optimizar (to make (something) optimal) · cmn 优化 (to become optimal) · fr optimiser (to make (something) more efficient) · es optimizar (to make (something) optimal) · nl verbeteren (to become optimal) · pl optymizować (to make (something) more efficient) · cs optimalizovat (to make (something) optimal) · mi whakaarotau (to make (something) more efficient) · it ottimizzare (to make (something) optimal) · bg оптимизирам се (to become optimal) · ro optimiza (to make (something) more efficient) · gl optimizar (to act optimistically) · fr s'optimiser (to become optimal)