Synonyms of dehumanize

dehumanize

verb

(ˌ)dē-ˈ(h)yü-mə-ˌnīz 

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• humiliate
• brutalize
• poison
• subvert
• demean
• animalize
• bestialize
• degrade
• contaminate
• pollute
• corrupt
• prostitute
• debauch
• deprave
• abase
• humble
• pervert
• disgrace
• taint
• warp
• profane

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• improve
• honor
• exalt
• amend
• restore
• dignify
• purify
• cleanse
• respect
• elevate
• ennoble
• uplift

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of dehumanize

The legal system dehumanizes her, the support group confuses her, and one of her friends painfully disappoints her. — Carey Purcell, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2026

The songs glorify Russian soldiers and dehumanize Ukrainians, sometimes with ethnic slurs. — Steven Lee Myers, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2026

Hisbah members also face widespread allegations of rights abuses in their enforcement operations, including subjecting offenders to dehumanizing punishments such as public beatings or shaming. — ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026

To dehumanize Jews, invoke Goebbels and Nazi imagery, tell Jews to ‘go back to Poland,’ and describe a swastika painted outside a Jewish family’s home as an appropriate symbol for ‘zionazis’ is not criticism of Israel. — Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2026