demonize
Americanverb (used with object)
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demonizes,
present (3rd person singular)
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demonized,
past participle, past
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demonizing
present participle
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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.”
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to subject to the influence of demons.
verb
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to make into or like a demon
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to subject to demonic influence
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to mark out or describe as evil or culpable
the technique of demonizing the enemy in the run-up to war
Usage
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.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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demonizesimple
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demonizessimple
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have demonizedperfect
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has demonizedperfect
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am demonizingprogressive
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are demonizingprogressive
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is demonizingprogressive
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have been demonizingperfect progressive
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has been demonizingperfect progressive
Past
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demonizedsimple
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had demonizedperfect
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was demonizingprogressive
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were demonizingprogressive
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had been demonizingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of demonize
First recorded in 1815–25; from Medieval Latin daemonizāre, equivalent to Late Latin daemon demon + -izāre -ize
Explanation
To demonize someone is to characterize them as evil or wicked, whether or not they actually are. It's distressingly common in politics for one party to demonize members of the opposing party. This verb literally means "to make into a demon.” Demon means "evil spirit," so when you demonize someone, you portray them that way. This tactic shows up in propaganda and politics all the time. If you’re running for class president, don’t demonize your opponent just to get votes — instead, engage in cordial debate about the issues.
Vocabulary lists containing demonize
“How Bernard Madoff Did It” by Liaquat Ahamed
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Vocabulary from Readings 5, Unit 1
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Lesson 6
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
“What really stands out more than any other civil rights division is how much they demonize and personalize,” said Christy Lopez, a former attorney in the division who is now a professor at Georgetown Law.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 19, 2026
“We have decided, for no particular reason other than what I think is a drafting error, to demonize people who want to build rental housing for folks,” Mr. Schatz said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 13, 2026
He also knows how to be comfortable in that space, and still find ways to humanize himself to an audience trying desperately to demonize him.
From Slate ● Feb. 28, 2026
Paramount CEO David Ellison said at the time that he tapped her to bring to CBS “news that reflects reality” and journalism that “doesn’t seek to demonize, but seeks to understand.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 9, 2025
His choices free or fetter, elevate or debase, deify or demonize his humanity.
From Tablets by Amos Bronson Alcott
Real-estate groups said the plan unfairly demonizes their industry.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
The report recommends that students acknowledge their differences more openly — and urges school administrators to help them overcome black-and-white thinking that demonizes other viewpoints.
From Washington Times ● Sep. 27, 2023
Art habitually heightens, elides, romanticizes, demonizes, cheats and lies to get what it wants, but we tend to believe it when the art, as here, is good.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2021
Altman: We are very sensitive to the word "gang" because of the way it demonizes people.
From Salon ● Jun. 11, 2021
In it, Agrawal demonizes the figure of the she-wolf, illustrating a female reporter as a lupine menace sent to consume the visionary female businesswoman.
From New York Times ● Dec. 17, 2019
“A mythologized Disraeli,” Ms. Jones writes, “provided political, literary and intellectual means by which Toryism could be positioned against an increasingly demonized ‘Victorian Liberalism.’”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026
Queer and drag culture have come into mainstream pop and youth culture on the one hand, but remain demonized on the other.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2025
No one mentioned the common names for these ingredients: seaweed, vitamin B2, and MSG, a common amino acid that has been demonized because it's popular in Asian food.
From Salon ● Mar. 26, 2025
What a shame that we’re at a place right now where public servants are demonized for their work.
From Slate ● Feb. 5, 2025
Two of the most potent social campaigns of the past half-century were the civil rights movement and the feminist movement, which demonized discrimination against blacks and women, respectively.
From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt
“She has shown courage and a commitment to protecting vulnerable communities, rather than demonizing them,” said Angelica Salas, president of the Californians for Human Immigrant Rights Leadership Action Fund.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 27, 2026
You can empathize with your friend without demonizing your own position or patronizing her by saying everything will be OK.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 2, 2026
“Responsible public voices should be awaiting a full investigation, not making generalizations and demonizing law-abiding citizens,” the NRA retorted, to Essayli.
From Slate ● Jan. 28, 2026
“Responsible public voices should be awaiting a full investigation, not making generalizations and demonizing law-abiding citizens,” the association said in a statement on X.
From Salon ● Jan. 26, 2026
“Why are we demonizing this man for speaking his mind?”
From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
