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
She was interrogated daily, Wang adds, and was subjected to daily medical exams that were meant to dehumanize her.
—
Aimée Ts'ao, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2025
Disturbing, dehumanizing rhetoric from senior Israeli government officials is reminiscent of the gravest of crimes.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 16 June 2025
This is what Qasem Hassan had feared from the start—that the horrific violence inflicted on Israelis on October 7th would be used to justify a war without limits, dehumanizing all Palestinians.
—Eyal Press, New Yorker, 9 June 2025
Hulu's Emmy-winning series pushed far beyond the events in Margaret Atwood's 1985 book, building to a rebellion in the totalitarian, patriarchal nation where women are dehumanized and used as vessels for breeding.
—EW.com, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for dehumanize
Aimée Ts'ao, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2025
Disturbing, dehumanizing rhetoric from senior Israeli government officials is reminiscent of the gravest of crimes.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 16 June 2025
This is what Qasem Hassan had feared from the start—that the horrific violence inflicted on Israelis on October 7th would be used to justify a war without limits, dehumanizing all Palestinians.
—Eyal Press, New Yorker, 9 June 2025
Hulu's Emmy-winning series pushed far beyond the events in Margaret Atwood's 1985 book, building to a rebellion in the totalitarian, patriarchal nation where women are dehumanized and used as vessels for breeding.
—EW.com, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for dehumanize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dehumanize
Verb
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Miller sought to shield these women, her suit said, and as a result she was humiliated, harassed and ultimately forced out of her job by Spitzer and Nelson.—
Teri Sforza,
Oc Register,
20 June 2025
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As Howard begins to humiliate Matt, the camera follows all angles of the table, making sure to showcase everyone’s reactions.—
Leia Mendoza,
Variety,
17 June 2025
Verb
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Which ones brutalize a fan base, scarring them for generations?—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
19 June 2025
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By contrast, Pacific Palisades, another area that was brutalized by fire, had already established an official record of its cultural heritage via SurveyLA, a historic resources survey conducted by the city.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2025
Verb
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Still, no amount of artistic success could heal the rift that had poisoned the group.—
Ernesto Lechner,
Rolling Stone,
21 June 2025
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In some cities, stray dogs are poisoned with strychnine, a pesticide banned in many countries for causing inhumane suffering.—
Lisa Klaassen,
CNN Money,
20 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dehumanize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dehumanize. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
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