stigmatize

verb

stig·​ma·​tize ˈstig-mə-ˌtīz 

stigmatized; stigmatizing; stigmatizes

transitive verb

1

a

: to describe or regard (something, such as a characteristic or group of people) in a way that shows strong disapproval

"… Academic ableism accentuates ability and stigmatizes any weakness. …"

—Michele Cooke

The campaign strives to educate individuals and communities about mental illness to the point where they understand it well enough not to stigmatize it, which is similar to what's happened with physical illnesses over time.

—MacKenzie Tastan

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) and other substance use problems are considered diseases like any other, but are stigmatized as moral failure by many.

—Marcelo Campos

b

archaic : brand

2

: to mark with stigmata

stigmatization

ˌstig-mə-tə-ˈzā-shən 

noun

Examples of stigmatize in a Sentence

a legal system that stigmatizes juveniles as criminals

Recent Examples on the Web

Dead babies have no voice, and the families devastated by congenital syphilis are too stigmatized to speak up. — Jeffrey D. Klausner, STAT, 17 June 2026

There’ll be bits of the media, the right-wing press, for instance, who will have already put in some hard work stigmatizing asylum seekers or other groups of immigrants. — Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 12 June 2026

As a young adult, it is believed that Rosemary exhibited violent mood swings during a time when mental health was stigmatized. — Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 1 June 2026

The book came out when mental illness was heavily stigmatized; Styron paved the way for authors to write about their own struggles with depression and similar disorders. — Michael Schaub, Oc Register, 25 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1585, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Rhymes for stigmatize

• advertise
• aggrandize
• alibis
• alkalies
• alkalis
• amortize
• amplifies
• analyse
• analyze
• anywise
• authorize
• butterflies

Kids Definition

stigmatize

verb

stig·​ma·​tize ˈstig-mə-ˌtīz 

stigmatized; stigmatizing

: to mark with a stigma

especially : to describe or identify as disgraceful