demonize
verb
de·mon·ize
ˈdē-mə-ˌnīz 
demonized; demonizing; demonizes
: to portray (someone or something) as evil or as worthy of contempt or blame : vilify
But the Senate hearings have a broader purpose than exposing I.R.S. sins. They are a central element in a campaign by Congressional Republicans to demonize the tax agency, already the least loved of all Government bureaucracies.—
John M. Broder
John M. BroderThe point is not to demonize business leaders. Their reasons for not hiring make eminent sense, given the incentives of the marketplace and the imperative to remain competitive.—Zachary Karabell
Zachary KarabellViolence in the media has become the whipping boy of choice in these hypocritical times. It's easier to demonize a movie screen than to deal with the thorny issues of crime, racism, drugs, poverty and gun control.—Peter Travers
Peter TraversFor those who would forge a new environmental ethic, there is a constant temptation to demonize technology and deify nature.—Gina Maranto
Gina Maranto
demonization
noun
plural demonizations
In the Washington of Clinton and Gingrich, Dole and Buchanan, … the demonization of one's political foes has reached an epic frenzy.
—Stryker McGuire and David Ansen
Stryker McGuire and David Ansen
Examples of demonize in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In Trump’s version of law and order, judges are demonized and criminals released, writes columnist Jackie Calmes.
—Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2025
Throughout the 2010s, dairy was demonized as inflammatory, unsustainable, and unethical.
—Ashliene McMenamy, Bon Appetit Magazine, 28 May 2025
Too often, being happily single is demonized while being romantically involved is put on a pedestal.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025
Leland presented European material as the survival of an ancient pagan cult—moreover, a paganism that had been demonized by Christianity.
—Angelica Frey, JSTOR Daily, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for demonize
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Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2025
Throughout the 2010s, dairy was demonized as inflammatory, unsustainable, and unethical.
—Ashliene McMenamy, Bon Appetit Magazine, 28 May 2025
Too often, being happily single is demonized while being romantically involved is put on a pedestal.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025
Leland presented European material as the survival of an ancient pagan cult—moreover, a paganism that had been demonized by Christianity.
—Angelica Frey, JSTOR Daily, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for demonize
Cite this Entry
“Demonize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/demonize. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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