depersonalization

noun

de·​per·​son·​al·​i·​za·​tion (ˌ)dē-ˌpər-snə-lə-ˈzā-shən 

-ˌpər-sə-nə-lə-

1

a

: an act or process of depersonalizing

b

: the quality or state of being depersonalized

2

: a psychopathological syndrome characterized by loss of identity and feelings of unreality and strangeness about one's own behavior

Examples of depersonalization in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The depersonalization scores were largely the same across all three groups. —Elizabeth Yuko, Health, 26 Sep. 2024

About 3 out of 4 adults in the United States will experience a depersonalization episode once in their lives, but only 2% of them will develop depersonalization disorder. —Carrie Madormo, Rn, Mph, Health, 3 July 2024

People with dissociative psychiatric conditions such as derealization or depersonalization syndrome report that their perceptual worlds, even their own selves, lack a sense of reality. —Anil K. Seth, Scientific American, 1 Sep. 2019

Frequently Asked Questions How is depersonalization different from depersonalization disorder? —Carrie Madormo, Rn, Mph, Health, 3 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1906, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Medical Definition

depersonalization

noun

de·​per·​son·​al·​iza·​tion

variants or British depersonalisation

(ˌ)dē-ˌpər-snə-lə-ˈzā-shən, -ˌpərs-ᵊn-ə-lə- 

: the act or process of causing or the state resulting from loss of the sense of personal identity

especially : a psychopathological syndrome characterized by loss of identity and feelings of unreality or strangeness about one's own behavior

depersonalize transitive verb

or British depersonalise

(ˈ)dē-ˈpər-snə-ˌlīz, -ˈpərs-ᵊn-ə- 

depersonalized or British depersonalised; depersonalizing or British depersonalising