propagate vs popularize

propagate and popularize both are verbs.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
propagate	No	No	Yes	No
popularize	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, popularize is a hyponym of propagate; that is, popularize is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than propagate:

propagate: cause to become widely known
popularize: cater to popular taste to make popular and present to the general public; bring into general or common use

Other hyponyms of propagate include podcast, sow, generalise, generalize, popularise, vulgarise, vulgarize, carry, run.

propagate (verb)	popularize (verb)
multiply sexually or asexually	make understandable to the general public
cause to propagate, as by grafting or layering	cater to popular taste to make popular and present to the general public; bring into general or common use
cause to become widely known
transmit
transmit or cause to broaden or spread
become distributed or widespread
travel through the air
transmit from one generation to the next