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
Doug Friednash, Denver Post, 30 Mar. 2026
Rose felt tremendous empathy and respect for these women, disenfranchised yet making their way.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 28 Mar. 2026
The bill would require voters to provide a birth certificate or passport for registration with the potential for disenfranchising vast numbers of voters as many Americans don’t have a passport or can no longer find their birth certificate.
—Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 27 Mar. 2026
The president has called for doing away with voting by mail and wants to require every American voter to reregister with proof-of-citizenship documents that, according to election law experts, could disenfranchise married women who changed their last names, students and people of color.
—Sophia Bollag, San Francisco Chronicle, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for disenfranchise
Cite this Entry
“Disenfranchise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disenfranchise. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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disenfranchise
verb
Legal Definition
disenfranchise
transitive verb
