To become steady, or to make something steady. It works both ways with no change of form: prices stabilized (they stopped going up and down by themselves), or the government stabilized prices (the government made that happen). What it really says is that a movement has stopped — the falling, shaking or swinging is over.

To become steady變穩定，or to make something steady或讓某個東西變穩定。It works both ways這個字兩個方向都能用，with no change of form形式完全不變：prices stabilized像prices stabilized（物價穩定下來了），they stopped going up and down by themselves指物價自己不再上上下下；or或者 the government stabilized pricesgovernment stabilized prices（政府讓物價穩定下來），the government made that happen指是政府讓這件事發生的。What it really says它真正在講的是 is that a movement has stopped一個動盪已經停止了：the falling, shaking or swinging is over下墜、搖晃、或擺動都結束了。

Doctors use it constantly: "The patient has stabilized" means the danger of getting worse has passed, not that the patient is well.

Doctors use it constantly醫生很常用這個字："The patient has stabilized"「The patient has stabilized」（病人穩定下來了）means意思是 the danger of getting worse has passed惡化的危險已經過去，not that the patient is well不是說病人已經好了。

Money and news writing use it for prices, currencies, economies and countries. Engineers use it for physical things: to stabilize a ladder is to stop it wobbling; a camera with image stabilization holds the picture still while your hand shakes.

Money and news writing財經和新聞寫作 use it for prices, currencies, economies and countries會用它來講物價、貨幣、經濟、還有國家。Engineers use it for physical things工程師會用它來講實體的東西：to stabilize a ladder讓梯子穩定 is to stop it wobbling就是不讓它搖晃；a camera with image stabilization有image stabilization（防手震）功能的相機 holds the picture still能讓畫面保持穩定，while your hand shakes即使你的手在抖。

There is also a slightly wider use for people and situations — after a hard year, someone's life stabilizes: it is not wonderful, but it has stopped falling apart.

There is also a slightly wider use還有一種稍微延伸一點的用法，for people and situations用在人或處境上：after a hard year熬過辛苦的一年之後，someone's life stabilizes某人的生活穩定下來了——it is not wonderful不是說變得很棒，but it has stopped falling apart而是不再一團亂、往下崩了。

It feels formal or technical; friends chatting would say "things have settled down" or "it's calmed down".

It feels formal or technical這個字感覺比較正式、技術性；friends chatting would say朋友聊天會說 "things have settled down"「things have settled down」（事情穩下來了），or或 "it's calmed down"「it's calmed down」（冷靜下來了）。

British spelling is often stabilise; American is stabilize. Both are fine — be consistent.

British spelling英式拼法 is often stabilise常常寫成stabilise；American美式 is stabilize是stabilize。Both are fine兩種寫法都可以——be consistent只要前後統一就好。