televise
B2formal, neutral
Definition
Meaning
to broadcast something by television
to transmit or show something on television; to make something available for viewing on TV
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Refers specifically to the technical process of broadcasting via television signals; implies reaching a mass audience through this medium
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both varieties use the word identically in meaning, but spelling differences in related words (e.g., televise vs. televize) are archaic; 'televise' is standard in both.
Connotations
Neutral technical/process term in both varieties
Frequency
Slightly more common in media/journalism contexts than everyday conversation; equally used in both UK and US English
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
transitive: televise + noun phrasepassive: be televisedadverbial complement: televise live/nationwideVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “televise to the nation”
- “televise live and direct”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
used in contracts and planning for media distribution
Academic
used in media studies when discussing broadcast methods
Everyday
used when discussing whether an event will be on TV
Technical
used in broadcast engineering and production
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The BBC will televise the royal wedding next month.
- The parliamentary debate was televised for the first time in 1989.
- They decided not to televise the sensitive trial proceedings.
American English
- CBS plans to televise the Super Bowl nationwide.
- The network televised the awards ceremony live from Los Angeles.
- The hearing will be televised on C-SPAN.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The football game will be on TV tonight.
- They show cartoons in the morning.
- The final match will be televised this Saturday.
- Many countries televise their national celebrations.
- The decision to televise the trial sparked a debate about media influence.
- The ceremony was televised internationally, reaching millions of viewers.
- Public service broadcasters are obliged to televise certain parliamentary sessions.
- The network secured exclusive rights to televise the Olympic Games.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
TELEVISE: TELEvision + VISualize = to put on television
Conceptual Metaphor
EXTENDING VISION (making visible to distant viewers)
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Not to be confused with 'смотреть телевизор' (to watch TV) – 'televise' is from the broadcaster's perspective, not the viewer's
- Different from 'транслировать' which is broader – 'televise' specifically means via television
Common Mistakes
- Using 'televise' intransitively (e.g., 'The concert will televise' instead of 'The concert will be televised')
- Confusing with 'television' as a noun
- Misspelling as 'televize' (archaic)
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'televise' correctly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Traditionally no; 'televise' specifically refers to television broadcasting. For online streaming, terms like 'stream', 'webcast', or 'broadcast online' are more appropriate.
It's neutral to formal; it's the standard technical term in media contexts. In casual conversation, people might say 'show on TV' or 'put on TV' instead.
'Broadcast' is broader and can include radio, TV, or online transmission. 'Televise' is specifically for television.
Yes, 'televised' is the standard past tense and past participle form (e.g., 'The event was televised yesterday').