demonize
verb
de·mon·ize
ˈdē-mə-ˌnīz 
demonized; demonizing; demonizes
: to portray (someone or something) as evil or as worthy of contempt or blame : vilify
But the Senate hearings have a broader purpose than exposing I.R.S. sins. They are a central element in a campaign by Congressional Republicans to demonize the tax agency, already the least loved of all Government bureaucracies.—
John M. Broder
John M. BroderThe point is not to demonize business leaders. Their reasons for not hiring make eminent sense, given the incentives of the marketplace and the imperative to remain competitive.—Zachary Karabell
Zachary KarabellViolence in the media has become the whipping boy of choice in these hypocritical times. It's easier to demonize a movie screen than to deal with the thorny issues of crime, racism, drugs, poverty and gun control.—Peter Travers
Peter TraversFor those who would forge a new environmental ethic, there is a constant temptation to demonize technology and deify nature.—Gina Maranto
Gina Maranto
demonization
noun
plural demonizations
In the Washington of Clinton and Gingrich, Dole and Buchanan, … the demonization of one's political foes has reached an epic frenzy.
—Stryker McGuire and David Ansen
Stryker McGuire and David Ansen
Examples of demonize in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Those who oppose a president’s orders typically demonize them, as Democrats have done with Trump.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 9 Mar. 2025
What better way to demonize those groups than by turning them into gruesome killers?
O’Neill is quick to explain that the Manson murders could not have been orchestrated by the government.
—Jake Kring-Schreifels, TIME, 7 Mar. 2025
In this way, Vance’s remarks are not the best example of Christian communitarian thought, since migrants without legal status still should not be demonized nor falsely accused of criminal behavior, both of which Vance himself has done in the past few months.
—Laura E. Alexander, The Conversation, 11 Feb. 2025
The Republican Party values include limiting women’s access to health care, suppressing the vote, censoring books and curricula and demonizing immigrants, to name a few.
—Steve Bousquet, Sun Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for demonize
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The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 9 Mar. 2025
What better way to demonize those groups than by turning them into gruesome killers?
O’Neill is quick to explain that the Manson murders could not have been orchestrated by the government.
—Jake Kring-Schreifels, TIME, 7 Mar. 2025
In this way, Vance’s remarks are not the best example of Christian communitarian thought, since migrants without legal status still should not be demonized nor falsely accused of criminal behavior, both of which Vance himself has done in the past few months.
—Laura E. Alexander, The Conversation, 11 Feb. 2025
The Republican Party values include limiting women’s access to health care, suppressing the vote, censoring books and curricula and demonizing immigrants, to name a few.
—Steve Bousquet, Sun Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for demonize
Cite this Entry
“Demonize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/demonize. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
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