victimization

[vik-tuh-muh-zey-shuhn]

noun

1. the act of making someone into a victim by harming or killing them.

   Mentally ill people who wander these streets are particularly vulnerable to victimization by criminal predators.

2. the act or fact of blaming others for the hardships one encounters in life.

   That school of thought says that victimization is an attitude: you may have no control over what happens to you, but you can control what you do with it.

Word History and Origins

Origin of victimization¹

First recorded in 1840–50; victimiz(e) ( def. ) + -ation ( def. )

Example Sentences

Still, the main takeaway is that overall rates of reported crime victimization across America, in both urban and rural areas, have been dropping for decades: They are 58% lower in 2022 than in 1979.

From Salon

In the tome of essays, author and educator Patricia Pisters discusses Madonna’s ability to transcend the traditional objectification and victimization that famous women are usually subject to.

From Salon

She was tireless, say family and friends, in pursuing the truth in instances of disappeared and abused women whose victimization was ignored by corrupt local authorities.

From Los Angeles Times

At the same time, the persecution or victimization of the wannabe strongman became the core message of Trumpism.

From Salon

This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel brings nuance to communities that have been ravaged by extractive capitalism and then shamed for their victimization.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• deception