disenfranchised

adjective

dis·​en·​fran·​chised ˌdis-in-ˈfran-ˌchīzd How to pronounce disenfranchised (audio)
: deprived of some right, privilege, or immunity
Tough, resourceful, and determined to help her disenfranchised and disenchanted students learn how to learn and love it, Johnson employs a barrage of techniques.Donna Seaman
The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill does what it can, but the millions of mentally ill remain the least supported, the most disenfranchised, and the most excluded people in our society today.Oliver Sacks
especially : deprived of the right to vote
The value of the right to vote, however, given the reality of racial voting patterns, will depend on whether it translates into political power and influence for the previously disenfranchised minority. Alan Freeman

Examples of disenfranchised in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The concentration of these attacks on racial and ethnic minority groups means communities of color, who historically have not been in positions of power, will remain marginalized and disenfranchised. Nicole Tisdale, WIRED, 12 Feb. 2024 As the train circumnavigates the globe, Curtis Everette (Chris Evans) leads a group of disenfranchised passengers through the cars in an attempt to take down society’s elite, who live in luxurious compartments at the front of the vehicle. Randall Colburn, EW.com, 25 Jan. 2024 On Monday, Sharif, 74, launched his campaign to return as Prime Minister for a fourth time—much to the chagrin of disenfranchised PTI supporters. Charlie Campbell, TIME, 17 Jan. 2024 Experiences like this are so common that many scientists consider pet loss to be a form of disenfranchised grief, which leaves people riddled with shame, confusion, and guilt. Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 16 Jan. 2024 The consequences of redlining in New York City An additional interactive map shows how redlining decisions made nearly 100 years ago continue to affect disenfranchised populations today. Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 13 Jan. 2024 These teams exist in some of the city's most troubled, economically disenfranchised neighborhoods: Smoketown, Portland, Russell, California, Shawnee and Newburg. Rachel Smith, The Courier-Journal, 3 Jan. 2024 And the incongruity of a man in business attire sprawled out on the sidewalk drew attention to the homeless and disenfranchised people the average upright citizen habitually ignored. Will Heinrich, New York Times, 27 Dec. 2023 The sum resembles Rage Against the Machine's disenfranchised fury. Journal Sentinel, 2 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'disenfranchised.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1818, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of disenfranchised was in 1818

Dictionary Entries Near disenfranchised

Cite this Entry

“Disenfranchised.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disenfranchised. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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