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
Charlotte Observer, 3 Sep. 2025
But, from a voter rights and civil rights perspective, mid-census redistricting could confuse and disenfranchise voters, Gandhi said.
—Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2025
In Texas — the state that started this recent gerrymandering arms race — recent redistricting efforts have been accused of racial gerrymandering, disenfranchising Latino and Black voters to protect GOP incumbents.
—Will Rodriguez-Kennedy, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Aug. 2025
Defunding infrastructure tied to ‘woke’ initiatives The Underdeck project’s underlying goal was to connect the parts of Overtown that had been disenfranchised when the I-395 expressway was built.
—Raisa Habersham, Miami Herald, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disenfranchise
Cite this Entry
“Disenfranchise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disenfranchise. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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disenfranchise
verb
Legal Definition
disenfranchise
transitive verb
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