1. to display or render an image in pixels; to cause an image to appear as a collection of small colored squares or blocks
Usage: computing, digital media
2. to deliberately blur or obscure part of an image by reducing it to large pixels, often for privacy or censorship
Usage: common in video editing and photography

Examples

• The old video game pixelates the graphics to fit the system's memory limitations.
• The editor pixelates the license plate in the photograph to protect the car owner's privacy.
• When you zoom in too far on a digital image, it pixelates and becomes unclear.
• The software pixelates faces in the security footage before releasing it to the public.
• Modern displays rarely pixelate images because they have such high resolution.
• The artist intentionally pixelates the background to draw focus to the main subject.