as in to symbolize
disapproving
to treat (someone) as an object rather than as a person
She says beauty pageants objectify women.
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Recent Examples of objectify
Appropriation of surplus labor, objectified in commodities, drove the system.
—
Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2025
Despite Martel’s intentions, the video was widely viewed as sexist and misogynistic, with many seeing the women as being objectified by the three male artists.
—Matthew Strauss, Pitchfork, 19 Sep. 2025
Women were both empowered and objectified, deemed capable of being in charge but still overtly sexualized.
—Thessaly La Force, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2025
And there's a character who could be seen as being objectified, but nothing overt.
—Devonne Goode, Parents, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for objectify
Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2025
Despite Martel’s intentions, the video was widely viewed as sexist and misogynistic, with many seeing the women as being objectified by the three male artists.
—Matthew Strauss, Pitchfork, 19 Sep. 2025
Women were both empowered and objectified, deemed capable of being in charge but still overtly sexualized.
—Thessaly La Force, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2025
And there's a character who could be seen as being objectified, but nothing overt.
—Devonne Goode, Parents, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for objectify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for objectify
Verb
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This aesthetic — symbolizing order, leisure and status — spread across continents and centuries, shaping how residential outdoor spaces are designed and maintained today.—
Hummingbird,
New York Daily News,
9 Jan. 2026
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The final scene shot for the mothership series is the last piece of the finale episode with the Dungeons & Dragons game and the shot of the closed door behind Finn Wolfhard's Mike Wheeler, which the Duffers explained symbolized the closure of this coming-of-age story.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Chromotherapy lighting is also being incorporated in tubs and showers.—
Kristina McGuirk,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Many designs now incorporate nighttime-specific lighting, plus mood lighting.—
Lew Sichelman,
Miami Herald,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Recent reassessments in parts of West Garfield Park, North Lawndale and Englewood illustrate a broader problem, with increases that go far beyond routine market movement.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Jan. 2026
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Advertisement No country illustrates the region’s dilemma better than Brazil, Latin America’s largest democracy.—
Oliver Stuenkel,
Time,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Objectify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/objectify. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
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