uberization

U1B3E1R1I1Z10A1T1I1O1N1

noun

The transformation of an existing industry or economy with the help of computing platforms, especially mobile applications, and temporary employment schemes.

Scrabble 22

Meanings

uberization1

nounuberization (uncountable)
  1. uncountableAlternative letter-case form of Uberization.

Uberization2

nounUberization (uncountable)

alternative Uberisation · alternative uberisation · alternative uberization

  1. uncountablebusinessThe transformation of an existing industry or economy with the help of computing platforms, especially mobile applications, and temporary employment schemes.

    Uberization affects much more than taxis and health insurance: it is pervasive throughout the economy and very real to detergent companies and tax authorities alike.

    2018, David Dunne, Design Thinking at Work, University of Toronto Press, →ISBN, page 96
    3 more examples

    This Uberization of activism allows corporate sponsors to call the tune: Consider how for-profit colleges leaned on vulnerable students for political pressure, how Comcast enlisted its philanthropic beneficiaries to support the Time Warner merger or the way that the beverage industry hired protesters to oppose soda taxes.

    2015 August 6, Edward T. Walker, “The Uber-ization of Activism”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 06 Aug 2015

    Yet the FAA, as a matter of policy, has made Uberization difficult, say industry observers. Operators say the certification process is cumbersome and favors large, well-established airlines with deep pockets — in other words, it ensures the same four carriers will continue to dominate the industry.

    2015 July 30, Christopher Elliott, “It’s time for the Uber of air travel”, in The Washington Post, Washington, D.C.: The Washington Post Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 14 Aug 2015

    The worst aspect of the "Uberization" of our economy may not be the transformation of workers who could once earn a living wage into "independent contractors" who can barely make ends meet (though that's bad enough); it may be the spreading myth that any economic function can be shoehorned into the Uber format of service-on-demand at a rock-bottom price.

    2016 February 1, Michael Hiltzik, “Why you should be skeptical about an 'Uber for healthcare'”, in Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, Calif.: Los Angeles Times Communications, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 02 Feb 2016

    Synonyms: Uberfication, Uberification

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe transformation of an existing industry or economy with the help of computing platforms, especially mobile applications, and temporary employment schemes.

Origin

From Uber + -ization. Genericized trademark from the decentralized ridesharing service Uber.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan uberització
  • uberitzacióutilisation of data platforms to bypass centrally planned corporations
Finnish überisaatio
  • überisaatioutilisation of data platforms to bypass centrally planned corporations
French ubérisation, uberisation
  • ubérisationutilisation of data platforms to bypass centrally planned corporations
  • uberisationutilisation of data platforms to bypass centrally planned corporations
German Uberisierung
  • Uberisierungutilisation of data platforms to bypass centrally planned corporations
Italian uberizzazione
  • uberizzazioneutilisation of data platforms to bypass centrally planned corporations
Malay uberisasi
  • uberisasiutilisation of data platforms to bypass centrally planned corporations
Polish uberyzacja
  • uberyzacjautilisation of data platforms to bypass centrally planned corporations
Portuguese uberização, uberificação
  • uberizaçãoutilisation of data platforms to bypass centrally planned corporations
  • uberificaçãoutilisation of data platforms to bypass centrally planned corporations
Russian убериза́ция
  • убериза́ция (uberizácija)utilisation of data platforms to bypass centrally planned corporations
Spanish uberización
  • uberizaciónutilisation of data platforms to bypass centrally planned corporations
Cite this entry
APA

uberization. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/uberization

MLA

“uberization.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/uberization. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “uberization,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/uberization.

Source: uberization on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.