demonize

especially British, de·mon·ise

[dee-muh-nahyz]

verb (used with object)

demonized, demonizing 

1. to misrepresent (someone or something) as thoroughly evil or contemptible; malign.

   He’s grown used to demonizing his opponents, replacing their true identities and arguments with easily despised caricatures.

   “There’s no reason to demonize plastic,” she said, “but I agree that it’s grossly overused.”

2. to subject to the influence of demons.

demonize

/ ˈdiːməˌnaɪz /

verb

1. to make into or like a demon

2. to subject to demonic influence

3. to mark out or describe as evil or culpable

   the technique of demonizing the enemy in the run-up to war

Other Word Forms

• demonization noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of demonize¹

First recorded in 1815–25; from Medieval Latin daemonizāre, equivalent to Late Latin daemon demon + -izāre -ize

Example Sentences

In an interview, Weiss said she and Paramount Chief Executive David Ellison are aligned in their desire for “news that reflects reality” and journalism that “doesn’t seek to demonize, but seeks to understand.”

Read more on Wall Street Journal

In an interview, Weiss said she and Ellison are aligned in their desire for “news that reflects reality” and journalism that “doesn’t seek to demonize, but seeks to understand.”

Read more on Wall Street Journal

She maintains a nuanced sense of humanity’s transgressions and innocence, without demonizing or idealizing either side.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Britton put it even more plainly: “Anything that wasn’t Christian got demonized. And once something is seen as demonic, it’s easier to police. It’s easier to ban. It’s easier to fear.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

And it’s one thing to suggest that current approaches could be made more effective, but quite another to demonize them in the name of forging “better” warfighters.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• diabolize 

When To Use

What does demonize mean?

To demonize something or someone is to mark or describe it as evil, as one would a demon.When something or someone is figuratively demonized like this, it is treated as undesirable or disrespectful. Being is demonized in this way often means being avoided or ignored by certain groups.Literally, to demonize is to turn something into a demon or to make it demonlike, as in The wizard spoke the spell that would transform a frog into a demon, demonizing it to create a powerful weapon. To demonize is also to subject demonic, or evil, influence, as in A mage demonized me, and now a demon torments my every waking hour. Some cultures and religions believe demons exist, while others believe they are only fictional characters.Example: The senator was so demonized for his beliefs that he could not win reelection.