optimize

English

WOTD – 9 December 2006

Alternative forms

optimise (UK)

Etymology

(1844) Back-formation from optimist.

Pronunciation

(General American) IPA^(key): /ˈɑptɪmaɪz/
(Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈɒptɪmaɪz/
Audio (US): (file)

Verb

optimize (third-person singular simple present optimizes, present participle optimizing, simple past and past participle optimized)

(originally intransitive) To act optimistically or as an optimist.
(transitive) To make (something) optimal.
We need to optimize the supply chain to reduce costs.
(transitive) To make (something) more efficient, such as a computer program.
The website was redesigned to optimize user experience.

He used software to optimize the performance of his computer.
- 2003, NIOSH (editors), NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods — Chapter R (XRD methods)‎^[1]:
  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.
- 1978, Guy L. Steele Jr., Rabbit: A Compiler for Scheme (Chapter 11)‎^[2]:
  Source-to-source program transformations which optimize the resulting code are central to the approach described here.
- 2025, Donald Trump, Executive Order 14278 (2025)‎^[3]:
  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.
(intransitive) To become optimal.

Synonyms

(to make optimal): perfect
(to make more efficient): enhance, hone, improve, perfect

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

to act optimistically

Bulgarian: оптимист съм (optimist sǎm)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 优化 (zh) (yōuhuà)
Dutch: optimistisch zijn/handelen
French: agir en optimiste
Galician: optimizar
Spanish: optimizar (es)

to make (something) optimal

Bulgarian: оптимизирам (optimiziram)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 优化 (zh) (yōuhuà)
Czech: optimalizovat (cs)
Danish: optimere
Dutch: optimaliseren (nl), perfectioneren (nl)
Finnish: optimoida (fi)
French: optimiser (fr)
Galician: optimizar
German: optimieren (de)
Greek: βελτιστοποιώ (el) (veltistopoió)
Hungarian: optimalizál (hu)
Indonesian: mengoptimalkan (id)
Italian: ottimizzare (it)
Maori: whakaarotau, whakamarohi
Polish: optymalizować
Portuguese: otimizar (pt)
Romanian: optimiza (ro)
Russian: оптимизи́ровать (ru) impf or pf (optimizírovatʹ)
Spanish: optimar (es), optimizar (es)
Swedish: optimera (sv)
Ukrainian: оптимізува́ти impf or pf (optymizuváty)

to make (something) more efficient

Chinese:
Mandarin: 优化 (zh) (yōuhuà)
Czech: optimalizovat (cs)
Danish: optimere
Dutch: optimaliseren (nl), verbeteren (nl)
Finnish: optimoida (fi), tehostaa (fi)
French: optimiser (fr)
German: optimieren (de)
Hungarian: optimalizál (hu)
Italian: ottimizzare (it)
Maori: arotau, whakaarotau, whakamarohi
Persian: بهینیدن
Polish: optymizować
Romanian: optimiza (ro)
Russian: оптимизи́ровать (ru) impf or pf (optimizírovatʹ)
Spanish: optimar (es), optimizar (es), eficientar (es) (Central America), eficientizar (es) (Latin America)
Swedish: optimera (sv)

to become optimal

Bulgarian: оптимизирам се (optimiziram se)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 优化 (zh) (yōuhuà)
Danish: optimere
Dutch: optimaliseren (nl), verbeteren (nl)
Finnish: optimoida (fi)
French: s'optimiser (reflexive)
Russian: оптимизи́роваться (ru) impf or pf (optimizírovatʹsja)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

German: optimieren (de)
Portuguese: otimizar (pt)
Swedish: optimera (sv)

Portuguese

Verb

optimize

inflection of optimizar:
1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
2. third-person singular imperative