destigmatize

American  

[dee-stig-muh-tahyz] / diˈstɪg məˌtaɪz /

verb (used with object)

1. to remove the social stigma or censure from (a person or group, or the characteristic or condition associated with them).

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Explanation

To destigmatize something is to erase any sense of shame, scandal, or embarrassment that's commonly associated with it. A celebrity can help destigmatize a disease by talking about their own experience with it. Stigmatizing means unfairly stereotyping or labeling a person, characteristic, or situation so that society develops a negative view of them. There can be a stigma associated with mental illness, divorce, poverty, and addiction, marking them with a kind of shame. Destigmatizing people or conditions involves changing the way others think about them, replacing the stigma with a sense of normalcy. Destigmatize comes from de-, "not," and the Greek root stigma, "tattoo mark or brand."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

destigmatize

At Microsoft, Rose brought in outside experts and organized workshops to destigmatize failure and end internal rivalries, according to the 2024 Harvard Business case study.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 8, 2026

Trans bodies are beautiful, and this kind of character creator really helps to destigmatize bodies like mine, and those of my friends and our wider community.

From Slate ● Oct. 1, 2025

As kids return to school, they embark on yet another year where school nurses will continue to debunk and destigmatize head lice.

From Salon ● Aug. 25, 2024

“Actors do lots of crazy stuff, but I hope I can help destigmatize the phenomenon,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 4, 2024

Still, I think it’s worthwhile to destigmatize deliberate inactivity.

From New York Times ● Feb. 17, 2024