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
Even as Trump and his cost-cutting czar, the billionaire Elon Musk, have demonized the agency, its defenders tell success stories of its work.
—Matt Sedensky, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2025
Especially as the Trump administration and its cronies demonize and destabilize diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, this work is and will continue to be important in all sectors.
—Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 3 Feb. 2025
Many are also celebrating because Trump champions rather than demonizes their industry.
—Justin Worland, TIME, 21 Jan. 2025
But despite this, we get demonized and called deplorables.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 8 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for demonize
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Matt Sedensky, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2025
Especially as the Trump administration and its cronies demonize and destabilize diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, this work is and will continue to be important in all sectors.
—Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 3 Feb. 2025
Many are also celebrating because Trump champions rather than demonizes their industry.
—Justin Worland, TIME, 21 Jan. 2025
But despite this, we get demonized and called deplorables.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 8 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 2 Mar. 2025.
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