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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dehumanize
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
The Creature thinks his suffering can only cease if it is replicated in another, and expresses this desire through possessive, dehumanizing language.
—Rory Doherty, Time, 7 Mar. 2026
To fall in love with a chatbot or rely on it for friendship — to me that’s a pretty good definition of dehumanizing.
—Nick Hilden, Rolling Stone, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dehumanize
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
The Creature thinks his suffering can only cease if it is replicated in another, and expresses this desire through possessive, dehumanizing language.
—Rory Doherty, Time, 7 Mar. 2026
To fall in love with a chatbot or rely on it for friendship — to me that’s a pretty good definition of dehumanizing.
—Nick Hilden, Rolling Stone, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dehumanize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dehumanize
Verb
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Trump has declared that the US will withdraw 5,000 – and probably many more – troops stationed in Germany, after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticized the US handling of the Iran conflict, saying Tehran had humiliated Washington.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
3 May 2026
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In her report, Soto accused Sibrian of allegedly mocking and humiliating her for her accent, immigration status and race and calling her stupid.—
Rachel McRady,
PEOPLE,
1 May 2026
Verb
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Enslaved people were often punished, beaten, or further brutalized for showing emotion, grieving openly or resisting in visible ways.—
Lisa Deaderick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 May 2026
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Euthanasia decisions are already brutalizing for dog owners, and those decisions may become even more fraught.—
Ross Andersen,
The Atlantic,
2 May 2026
Verb
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The courts said that map was poisoned by partisan considerations, forcing the Legislature to come up with a new map before the 2016 primary.—
Jeffrey Schweers,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 May 2026
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Two years later, a train derailed, and the air, water, and clay of East Palestine were poisoned.—
Mary Norris,
New Yorker,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dehumanize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dehumanize. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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