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
Unlike previous generations, they have grown up with technology. They don't expect it to bring about utopia, nor do they demonize it.—
Katie Hafner
Katie HafnerThe 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
Trump demonizes immigrants and has launched a sweeping mass-deportation campaign that was cheered by the far right across Europe; Sánchez resists such nativism, and his government is in the midst of a program to give legal status to some half a million undocumented migrants living in Spain.
—Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 13 May 2026
His 2003 bid for governor was the rare example of a populist-right campaign that achieved victory without demonizing immigrants or minorities.
—Conor Friedersdorf, The Atlantic, 12 May 2026
These are neat narratives — but governing isn’t kabuki theater, and demonizing job creators won’t help solve serious problems.
—James Katz, New York Daily News, 11 May 2026
Guys like DeSantis and Uthmeier have been demonizing minorities for years now, starting with LGBTQ citizens and Muslims.
—Scott Maxwell, Sun Sentinel, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for demonize
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 13 May 2026
His 2003 bid for governor was the rare example of a populist-right campaign that achieved victory without demonizing immigrants or minorities.
—Conor Friedersdorf, The Atlantic, 12 May 2026
These are neat narratives — but governing isn’t kabuki theater, and demonizing job creators won’t help solve serious problems.
—James Katz, New York Daily News, 11 May 2026
Guys like DeSantis and Uthmeier have been demonizing minorities for years now, starting with LGBTQ citizens and Muslims.
—Scott Maxwell, Sun Sentinel, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for demonize
Cite this Entry
“Demonize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/demonize. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
