disenfranchise
verb
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What Does It Mean to Disenfranchise Someone?
Disenfranchise first appeared in English in the 17th century, preceded for a period of some 200 years by the now uncommon word disfranchise. Though both words are, rather obviously, related to franchise, they have nothing to do with that word’s current sense “a team that is a member of a professional sports league." The original meaning of franchise was “freedom from servitude or restraint.” Although disenfranchise does broadly signify depriving someone of any of a number of legal rights, it is most often used today of withholding the right to vote, or of the diminished social or political status of a marginalized group.
Examples of disenfranchise in a Sentence
Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 11 Mar. 2025
The killers included white policemen, sheriffs, businessmen, even a legislator—all part of the Jim Crow system aimed at disenfranchising Black voters.
—Essence, 10 Mar. 2025
Kansas, which voted overwhelmingly for Trump, missed a legal deadline for certifying its six Electoral College votes – a mistake that risked disenfranchising the state’s 1.3 million voters if members of Congress had objected.
—Daniel Desrochers, Kansas City Star, 22 Jan. 2025
Also, the behaviors of CEOs not living up to the purpose of their organizations and, frankly, disenfranchising much of their workforce.
—Jonathan Granoff, Newsweek, 29 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disenfranchise
Cite this Entry
“Disenfranchise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disenfranchise. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.
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disenfranchise
verb
Legal Definition
disenfranchise
transitive verb
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