as in to humiliate
to make (someone) feel or behave more like an animal than a human being
being deprived of clothes dehumanized the prisoners
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Recent Examples of dehumanize
The scrutiny of fame has always been dehumanizing, though the ubiquity of the modern-day comment section has surely accelerated and exaggerated its cruelty.
—
Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
The Coalition for the Homeless says the city's unhoused are often dehumanized and criminalized.
—Jennifer Bisram, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
In a world that often feels fragmented and dehumanized, reclaiming this universality is an ethical act.
—Ed Meza, Variety, 16 Mar. 2026
Those included flattering depictions of world leaders as powerful men, or dehumanizing depictions of opposition leaders.
—Stuart A. Thompson, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dehumanize
Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
The Coalition for the Homeless says the city's unhoused are often dehumanized and criminalized.
—Jennifer Bisram, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
In a world that often feels fragmented and dehumanized, reclaiming this universality is an ethical act.
—Ed Meza, Variety, 16 Mar. 2026
Those included flattering depictions of world leaders as powerful men, or dehumanizing depictions of opposition leaders.
—Stuart A. Thompson, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dehumanize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dehumanize
Verb
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Linda Hyde, a Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards member since 2014, boarded her Southwest flight on May 21 at Miami International Airport humiliated and angry.—
Ella Moore
Updated May 29,
Miami Herald,
29 May 2026
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Strength is not the capacity to humiliate someone with less power.—
Marc Brackett,
Hartford Courant,
27 May 2026
Verb
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Family Photo The family had fled the Congo after Carine, an activist, was brutalized for speaking out against the ruling regime.—
Jim Axelrod,
CBS News,
31 May 2026
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The Original brutalized El Grande Americano II back inside the ring.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Verb
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He was buried alive on a construction site and then poisoned by a venomous rattlesnake that crawled into his coffin and attacked him.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
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Just months after Netflix announced its plans to produce the series, Lin was poisoned and killed at age 39.—
Sylvie Zhuang,
CNN Money,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dehumanize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dehumanize. Accessed 1 Jun. 2026.
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