verb
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to make or become human
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to make or become humane
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of humanize
Explanation
To humanize is to make something friendlier to humans. Humanizing makes things more civilized, refined, and understandable. You need to humanize characters when you’re writing a story, so people will understand them. To humanize is to make things more humane and easier for humans to relate to and appreciate. A biography of a murderer could humanize the murderer if it showed he had a terrible life growing up. A factory could be humanized if conditions are made less dangerous. In general, if you’re a human, to humanize something is a good thing. If you’re a robot, get your own word!
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.
“We’re using creators to explain and humanize the technology and solutions,” said Kirsten Hamstra, Lenovo’s executive director of global social media.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 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
The event is part of what NFL marketing bosses describe as the organization's "helmets off" strategy, intended to humanize players and increase engagement, particularly among younger fans, by emphasizing their personalities and off-field interests.
From Barron's • Feb. 3, 2026
Skaggs’ lawyer asked questions to elicit testimony from Trout that would humanize Skaggs, to establish that he was a valued teammate and friend.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 21, 2025
After a lovely visit to Maer a few weeks before the wedding, he told Emma that she would have to humanize him.
From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman
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.
