DEHUMANIZE Synonyms: 33 Similar and Opposite Words

dehumanize

verb

(ˌ)dē-ˈ(h)yü-mə-ˌnīz

Definition of dehumanize

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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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of dehumanize The author exposes its 'intellectual sleight of hand,' arguing this approach dehumanizes customers into metrics, risking Goodhart's Law and metric-gaming. — Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026 Of the many cruel aspects of slavery, the shackles used to restrain and dehumanize more than12 million Africans across three centuries may be the most visceral tangible reminder. — Terry Tang, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026 The answer is not to dehumanize us. — Heather Abbott, CBS News, 7 June 2026 In each project, shifting scale becomes a way to recover empathy from systems that abstract and dehumanize. — Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 24 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for dehumanize

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dehumanize

Verb

The Iranians are now setting the terms of this conflict and are routinely humiliating the American president.

— Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026
One has to be willing to humiliate oneself in order to yodel, there is no spiritual bypass.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 July 2026

Definition of humiliate

Verb

The same curriculum includes Prophet Muhammed’s history of brutalizing Christians and Jewish people — a framing that Muslim families and interfaith advocates found issue with in public comment.

— Rachel Royster. Produced with AI assistance, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 July 2026
Described as a biting political thriller in the tradition of Wild in the Streets and V for Vendetta, The Hunted is set in a dystopian America where trans people are brutalized and erased to the margins of society.

— Glenn Garner, Deadline, 20 June 2026

Definition of brutalize

Verb

Not knowing she’d been poisoned and that it was related to Russian espionage, Rowley decided to run a few errands before joining her there.

— Faith Karimi, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
Michael seemed to be saying that by admitting her dishonesty, Ethel would have ruined their childhood and poisoned any prospect of a future relationship with her.

— Amy Weiss-Meyer, The Atlantic, 10 July 2026

Definition of poison

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dégringolades

dehumanize

dehumanized

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“Dehumanize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dehumanize. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of dehumanize

verb

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