Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

objectify

verb ob·jec·ti·fy \ əb-ˈjek-tə-ˌfī \
|Updated on: 17 Jul 2018

Definition of objectify

objectified; objectifying
transitive verb
1 : to treat as an object or cause to have objective reality
  • They believe that beauty pageants objectify women.
2 : to give expression to (something, such as an abstract notion, feeling, or ideal) in a form that can be experienced by others
  • It is the essence of the fairy tale to objectify differing facets of the child's emotional experience …
  • —John Updike
—

objectification

play \əb-ˌjek-tə-fə-ˈkā-shən\ noun

See objectify defined for English-language learners

Examples of objectify in a Sentence

  1. She says beauty pageants objectify women.

Recent Examples of objectify from the Web

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'objectify.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of objectify

circa 1837

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year
NEW! Time Traveler

OBJECTIFY Defined for English Language Learners

objectify

verb

Definition of objectify for English Language Learners

  • : to treat (someone) as an object rather than as a person

Learn More about objectify

  1. See words that rhyme with objectify Nglish: Translation of objectify for Spanish speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up objectify? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

halcyon

play

peaceful, happy, or prosperous

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. socialism 'a way of organizing a society in which major industries are owned and controlled by the government'

  2. uphold 'to let stand'

  3. due process 'a course of formal proceedings (as judicial proceedings)'

  4. asylum 'protection from arrest and extradition given especially to political refugees'

  5. insubordinate 'disobedient to authority'

SEE ALL

BROWSE DICTIONARY

objectify

Test Your Vocabulary

Test Your Emoji Exceptionalism

  • test-your-emoji-exceptionalism-written-with-a-lot-of-emoji
  • What is this emoji intended to represent: 🤳
True or False

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ
SCRABBLE® Sprint

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games