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
Mara Williams, Kansas City Star, 12 Nov. 2025
What is certain is that Proposition 50 will in effect disenfranchise millions of California Republicans and Republican-leaning voters who already feel overlooked and irrelevant to the workings of their home state.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2025
The killers included white policemen, sheriffs, businessmen, even a legislator — all part of the Jim Crow system aimed at disenfranchising Black voters.
—Equal Justice Initiative, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
Just this month large sections of voters were effectively disenfranchised as major opposition candidates in Cameroon and Côte d’Ivoire similarly failed to make it to the ballot.
—Martin K.n Siele, semafor.com, 31 Oct. 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 14 Nov. 2025.
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disenfranchise
verb
Legal Definition
disenfranchise
transitive verb
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