disenfranchise
verb
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What Does It Mean to Disenfranchise Someone?
Disenfranchise first appeared in English in the 17th century, preceded for a period of some 200 years by the now uncommon word disfranchise. Though both words are, rather obviously, related to franchise, they have nothing to do with that word’s current sense “a team that is a member of a professional sports league." The original meaning of franchise was “freedom from servitude or restraint.” Although disenfranchise does broadly signify depriving someone of any of a number of legal rights, it is most often used today of withholding the right to vote, or of the diminished social or political status of a marginalized group.
Examples of disenfranchise in a Sentence
Antonia Hitchens, The New Yorker, 24 Apr. 2024
And unless the legislature decides to act, Pennsylvania voters who forget to put dates on their ballot envelopes may be disenfranchised while the wheels of the judicial system turn.
—John E. Jones Iii, The Conversation, 5 Apr. 2024
Women should learn to communicate their experiences at home, at work and in wider society where they have been disenfranchised or overlooked despite their talents, competence and merit.
—Abiola Salami, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
Who's opposed: Immigration and civil rights advocates, including the ACLU of Indiana, see this as disenfranchising immigrant voters and people with nontraditional addresses, like the unhoused and college students.
—Kayla Dwyer, The Indianapolis Star, 1 Feb. 2024
Both sides also asserted that a ruling for the other side would disenfranchise voters.
—Calmatters, The Mercury News, 1 Jan. 2024
San Jose City Councilmember Domingo Candelas called it a real win for residents, especially those in East San Jose who sometimes feel disenfranchised by the city.
—Sal Pizarro, The Mercury News, 15 Feb. 2024
Civil rights groups argue that this will disenfranchise voters who rely on help from strangers and friends to cast their ballots.
—Erin Mansfield, USA TODAY, 6 Apr. 2024
The rise of the far-right in Portugal echoes a trend seen throughout Europe, as voters disenfranchised with mainstream politics look for an alternative.
—Vasco Cotovio, CNN, 11 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'disenfranchise.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near disenfranchise
Cite this Entry
“Disenfranchise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disenfranchise. Accessed 4 May. 2024.
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disenfranchise
verb
Legal Definition
disenfranchise
transitive verb
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