victimize

verb

vic·​tim·​ize ˈvik-tə-ˌmīz 

victimized; victimizing

transitive verb

1

: to make a victim of

2

: to subject to deception or fraud : cheat

victimization

ˌvik-tə-mə-ˈzā-shən 

noun

victimizer

ˈvik-tə-ˌmī-zər 

noun

Synonyms

• beat
• bilk
• bleed
• cheat
• chisel
• chouse
• con
• cozen
• defraud
• diddle
• do
• do in
• euchre
• fiddle
• fleece
• flimflam
• gaff
• hose [slang]
• hustle
• mulct
• nobble [British slang]
• pluck
• ream
• rip off
• rook
• screw
• shake down
• short
• shortchange
• skin
• skunk
• squeeze
• stick
• stiff
• sting
• sucker
• swindle
• thimblerig

Examples of victimize in a Sentence

They were victimized because of their religion.

victimized by a confidence man with a slick story

Recent Examples on the Web

Thursday’s starter Landon Knack was the only pitcher victimized twice. —Bill Plunkett, Orange County Register, 4 July 2024

According to the same Gallup poll, about 3 percent of Americans report being victimized by a violent crime. —Abdallah Fayyad, Vox, 27 June 2024

Bella, who's had enough of being victimized by men, kills 'em all over the course of one weekend. —The Week Staff, theweek, 11 June 2024

But he was arrested again two more times this year, after a man came forward last month alleging he may have been victimized by Bowen as a child, police said. —Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 26 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1830, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

victimize

verb

vic·​tim·​ize ˈvik-tə-ˌmīz 

victimized; victimizing

: to make a victim of especially by cheating