SKIP TO CONTENT

dehumanization

/dihjumɪnɪˈzeɪʃɪn/
/dihjumɪnaɪˈzeɪʃən/
IPA guide

Treating people like they're too inferior or uncivilized to be considered real people is dehumanization. Dehumanization can be avoided simply by acknowledging everyone's humanity.

One example of dehumanization might be an employer treating all their workers like robots rather than individuals — for example, by refusing to provide safe working conditions or to allow regular breaks. Thinking of people from unfamiliar cultures as inferior is another kind of dehumanization, as is depriving people of basic human rights, like life and freedom.

Definitions of dehumanization
  1. noun
    the act of degrading people with respect to their best qualities
    “science has been blamed for the dehumanization of modern life”
    synonyms: dehumanisation
    see moresee less
    type of:
    debasement, degradation
    a change to a lower state (a less respected state)
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago

Copy citation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘dehumanization'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family