dehumanizing
adjective
de·hu·man·iz·ing
(ˌ)dē-ˈ(h)yü-mə-ˌnī-ziŋ 
: depriving someone of human qualities, personality, or dignity : demeaning or damaging to a person's humanity or individuality
a dehumanizing caricature/slur
dehumanizing statistics
Before even being allowed to call a lawyer, the arrestee is faced with the dehumanizing treatment of a strip search …—
John W. Whitehead
John W. WhiteheadThis kind of language is deliberately dehumanizing: the athlete is referred to not as a person but as a "brand", throughout.—Felix Salmon
Felix SalmonInmates at the South Carolina prison cited dehumanizing conditions such as a lack of sunlight, poor and insufficient food, and few rehabilitative programs as reasons they lost hope.—Aaron Cantú
Aaron CantúNot only are writers selling their products, they essentially become their products: author as commodity. It's a weirdly dehumanizing experience.—Rachel Donadio
Rachel Donadio… the dehumanizing nastiness of having your intimate personal photos hacked …—Joe Fay
Joe FayExamples of dehumanizing in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Here was another example of Kim’s funny-angry recasting of an inherently abstract and dehumanizing form.
—Mara Mills, Artforum, 1 Apr. 2025
By enacting this scene, students pushed back against racist and dehumanizing ideas that positioned Black people as mere property.
—Mickell Carter / Made By History, TIME, 19 Feb. 2025
Maryland has the opportunity to offer a reprieve from suffering — a chance for these individuals to live the remainder of their days with dignity, surrounded by loved ones and free from the dehumanizing conditions of prison.
—Jasmine L. Tyler, Baltimore Sun, 6 Feb. 2025
The term Mace used is considered derogatory, defamatory and dehumanizing for transgender people according to GLAAD, an LGBTQ media advocacy organization.
—Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY, 6 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dehumanizing
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Mara Mills, Artforum, 1 Apr. 2025
By enacting this scene, students pushed back against racist and dehumanizing ideas that positioned Black people as mere property.
—Mickell Carter / Made By History, TIME, 19 Feb. 2025
Maryland has the opportunity to offer a reprieve from suffering — a chance for these individuals to live the remainder of their days with dignity, surrounded by loved ones and free from the dehumanizing conditions of prison.
—Jasmine L. Tyler, Baltimore Sun, 6 Feb. 2025
The term Mace used is considered derogatory, defamatory and dehumanizing for transgender people according to GLAAD, an LGBTQ media advocacy organization.
—Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY, 6 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dehumanizing
Cite this Entry
“Dehumanizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dehumanizing. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.
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