pathologize
verb
pa·thol·o·gize
pə-ˈthä-lə-ˌjīz 
pathologized; pathologizing
: to view or characterize as medically or psychologically abnormal
natural hormonal shifts have been pathologized—
Joyce C. Mills
Joyce C. MillsExamples of pathologize in a Sentence
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The truth is that many of the very traits pathologized in ADHD, such as impulsivity, paying attention off topic, and free association, can become powerful assets when recognized and harnessed.
—Alison Escalante, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Advertisement The rush to pathologize violence also reinforces stigma.
—Victor Petreca, Time, 21 Aug. 2025
Glass + One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Institutional spaces become battlegrounds of belief in these chamber dramas where power, perception, and dissent are pathologized.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 29 July 2025
As a result, providing ways to manage these feelings without misusing drugs—and without pathologizing those with outlying traits—can be a powerful way to support healthy development.
—Maia Szalavitz, Scientific American, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for pathologize
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Alison Escalante, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Advertisement The rush to pathologize violence also reinforces stigma.
—Victor Petreca, Time, 21 Aug. 2025
Glass + One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Institutional spaces become battlegrounds of belief in these chamber dramas where power, perception, and dissent are pathologized.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 29 July 2025
As a result, providing ways to manage these feelings without misusing drugs—and without pathologizing those with outlying traits—can be a powerful way to support healthy development.
—Maia Szalavitz, Scientific American, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for pathologize
Cite this Entry
“Pathologize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pathologize. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
pathologize
transitive verb
pa·thol·o·gize
variants
or chiefly British pathologise
-ˌjīz
pathologized or chiefly British pathologised; pathologizing or chiefly British pathologising
: to view or characterize as medically or psychologically abnormal
natural hormonal shifts have been pathologized—Joyce C. Mills
Joyce C. Millspathologizing childhood behavior—Ruth Shalit
Ruth Shalit
pathologization
noun
or chiefly British pathologisation
pə-ˌthäl-ə-jə-ˈzā-shən
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