demystify
Americanverb (used with object)
-
demystifies,
present (3rd person singular)
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demystified,
past participle, past
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demystifying
present participle
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
demystifysimple
-
demystifiessimple
-
have demystifiedperfect
-
has demystifiedperfect
-
am demystifyingprogressive
-
are demystifyingprogressive
-
is demystifyingprogressive
-
have been demystifyingperfect progressive
-
has been demystifyingperfect progressive
Past
-
demystifiedsimple
-
had demystifiedperfect
-
was demystifyingprogressive
-
were demystifyingprogressive
-
had been demystifyingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of demystify
Explanation
To demystify something is to make it much easier to understand or see. Your favorite math teacher might be the one who manages to demystify calculus for you. When you demystify things, you remove any mystery or secrecy connected with them. You might feel the need to demystify complicated or difficult ideas, subjects, or tasks. A car repair class can demystify the idea of working on your own engine, and traveling to France often helps language learners demystify the French language. To mystify is to bewilder or perplex, from the Latin root mysticus, "mystical, mystic, or secret."
Vocabulary lists containing demystify
"A Village After Dark" by Kazuo Ishiguro
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for September 24–September 30, 2022
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Women in Space
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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:
“Since last July we’ve been participating in various efforts to demystify prefab housing for people in Altadena and the Palisades,” co-founder Caroline Paules said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026
Lee’s priorities include expanding civic engagement and language accessibility, with an aim to demystify legal proceedings for students and nonnative English speakers.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 1, 2026
Transparency online about the surgery has helped demystify the process, say experts.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 1, 2026
Beneath all the technique, he’s really just trying to demystify the feast.
From Salon ● Dec. 14, 2025
I wanted to demystify the ANC for them, to peel away their prejudices.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
For the last two years, she and the Seattle-based retailer produced “Cook Out,” a video series that demystifies outdoor cooking and spotlights food purveyors from around the Northwest.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 4, 2023
The writer and director Lorna Tucker draws from rare archival audio and home movies, elegantly assembling a portrait that both celebrates and demystifies her considerable legend.
From New York Times ● Jun. 14, 2023
“So much of this is about building a college-going culture. They, by definition, are letting students know that college … is absolutely achievable and it demystifies the entire thing,” he said.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 27, 2023
On his website, he describes himself as a "visionary for the 'Now Age'" who "demystifies spirituality".
From BBC ● Nov. 8, 2022
This is why the movie’s surest asset as a feminist narrative is how Alsop’s example demystifies conducting while still retaining its power to enchant us, and yet look like the hard work that it is.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 3, 2022
Whereas most weird quantum behaviors are demystified by thinking of small particles as waves instead of minuscule balls, genuine quantum weirdness arises when you measure a quantum object.
From Scientific American ● Oct. 12, 2023
He also "demystified" State House, by opening it up for many people including children and celebrities to visit and look round.
From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2022
On the latest episode of ‘The Daily Show,’ Trevor Noah demystified the Los Angeles mayoral race.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 7, 2022
As polyamory is increasingly demystified and destigmatized, especially among young people, a core reason that some people seek it out could arguably be relevant to all romantic relationships.
From Salon ● Oct. 25, 2021
It demystified the origin, function, and role of property, and introduced a generalized level of relativity and uniform value.
From The Civilization of Illiteracy by Mihai Nadin
There’s something very powerful there: She’s demystifying a process that can still be shrouded in unnecessary secrecy, and making a choice many women have at least considered.
From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026
Social media is feeding into the emigration economy, with dozens of influencers demystifying the process.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 26, 2026
Noah Whiteman, a professor of molecular and cell biology at UC Berkeley, hailed the paper for demystifying a symbiotic relationship that has captivated scientists.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 10, 2026
"It's really important that the curtain is pulled back from opera, demystifying what the process is and the many talented people who put so much time and energy and their talents into making an opera."
From Salon ● Oct. 6, 2024
From Moses to modems: demystifying the storytelling and taking control We are living in a world of stories.
From Open Source Democracy by Douglas Rushkoff
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.
