humanize

[ hyoo-muh-nahyzor, often, yoo- ]

verb (used with object)

, hu·man·ized, hu·man·iz·ing.

1. to make humane, kind, or gentle.
2. to make human.

verb (used without object)

, hu·man·ized, hu·man·iz·ing.

1. to become human or humane.

humanize

/ ˈhjuːməˌnaɪz /

verb

1. to make or become human
2. to make or become humane

Derived Forms

• ˈhumanˌizer, noun
• ˌhumaniˈzation, noun

Other Words From

• human·i·zation noun
• human·izer noun
• non·human·ized adjective
• over·human·ize verb overhumanized overhumanizing
• rehu·man·i·zation noun
• re·human·ize verb rehumanized rehumanizing
• semi·human·ized adjective
• super·human·ize verb (used with object) superhumanized superhumanizing
• un·human·ize verb (used with object) unhumanized unhumanizing

Word History and Origins

Origin of humanize¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; human + -ize

Example Sentences

She hopes her work will serve to humanize the millions caught in refugee crises around the world—people who have lost “a place to call home, people they can connect with, and a direction or purpose.”

From MIT Technology Review

They can humanize injustice, underline the stakes, and present a vision for a better world.

From Washington Blade

I hadn’t known where he was, and at that point, I wanted to humanize him.

From Time

Beyond that, the opinions reporters and columnists share on platforms like Twitter allow readers to further humanize the people who create the content they read, making it feel like relationships are forming.

From Digiday

While these tidbits were humanizing and an interesting change of pace, they soon wore out their welcome, turning into a slew of interchangeable information dumps.

From Time

Whether we decide to follow this path, the best we can do to help people like Joni is to normalize and humanize atheism.

From The Daily Beast

It possesses the power to both humanize and demonize minority groups.

From The Daily Beast

He used them to illustrate a political point, or, more frequently, to humanize himself with his audience.

From The Daily Beast

Jenkins manages to humanize Manning while simultaneously explaining and elevating his mythology.

From The Daily Beast

Now a new off-Broadway play seeks to humanize Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe.

From The Daily Beast

And the moment the sounds of everyday life began to humanize the neighborhood, he returned; sat down to his machine.

From Project Gutenberg

But the crucial question is—how big a house can she humanize?

From Project Gutenberg

The discovery, whatever the motive, will inevitably humanize industry a good deal.

From Project Gutenberg

Can an act of Parliament humanize their minds, or impart mercy to their hearts?

From Project Gutenberg

It became the fashion for the "spiritual" to malign every hope and passion that tends to humanize and refine the heart.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• civilize
• tame