animalize: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2 / Very LowFormal, Literary, Technical, Scientific
Quick answer
What does “animalize” mean?
to make something resemble or behave like an animal.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
to make something resemble or behave like an animal; to give animal characteristics to something.
To reduce to an animalistic state; to brutalize; to make sensual or physical, often by removing intellectual or spiritual qualities.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or frequency. Slightly more common in American English in historical/racial discourse.
Connotations
Both varieties carry strong negative connotations when applied to people. In UK English, may have slightly stronger literary/historical associations.
Frequency
Extremely rare in everyday speech in both varieties. Found in academic, literary, or polemical texts.
Grammar
How to Use “animalize” in a Sentence
[subject] animalizes [object][object] is animalized by [subject]to animalize [object] into somethingVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “animalize” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The propaganda sought to animalize the enemy, depicting them as mindless beasts.
- Some fear that extreme poverty can animalize human behaviour.
American English
- The critic argued that the film's violence served only to animalize its characters.
- The old biological text described how to animalize the serum for testing.
adverb
British English
- The character acted animalizingly, driven purely by base instinct. (Rare/Formal)
American English
- The regime treated dissenters animalizingly, denying all human rights. (Rare/Formal)
adjective
British English
- The animalizing effect of the drug was carefully documented in the study.
- He wrote about the animalizing tendencies of industrial labour.
American English
- She critiqued the animalizing rhetoric used in the political campaign.
- The process had an animalizing impact on the tissue culture.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in critical theory, sociology, history (e.g., discourses that animalize certain groups), and biological sciences.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Would sound overly formal or dramatic.
Technical
Used in biology/pharmacology: e.g., 'to animalize a protein' for use in animal models.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “animalize”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “animalize”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “animalize”
- Using it as an intransitive verb (e.g., 'He animalized' is wrong; must be 'He was animalized' or 'He animalized them').
- Confusing it with 'animate'.
- Using it in casual contexts where 'brutalize' or 'dehumanize' is more appropriate.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a very low-frequency word used primarily in formal, academic, or literary contexts.
Almost always when referring to people or society. In specific biological/technical contexts, it can be neutral, describing a process of adaptation for animal use.
They are close synonyms. 'Dehumanize' is more common and broadly means to deprive of human qualities. 'Animalize' is more specific, implying the attribution of animal (especially base, instinctual) qualities. 'Dehumanize' can imply making someone machine-like; 'animalize' specifically implies making them beast-like.
Extremely rarely. One might theoretically use it positively in a context praising a return to primal, instinctual strength, but this is highly unconventional and likely to be misunderstood. The dominant connotation is negative.
to make something resemble or behave like an animal.
Animalize is usually formal, literary, technical, scientific in register.
Animalize: in British English it is pronounced /ˈæn.ɪ.mə.laɪz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈæn.ə.mə.laɪz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To animalize the masses (political rhetoric)”
- “Animalized by desire/lust”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'ANIMAL' + 'IZE' -> to turn INTO an animal.
Conceptual Metaphor
PEOPLE ARE ANIMALS (when stripped of reason/morality); CIVILIZATION IS A STATE ABOVE ANIMALITY.
Practice
Quiz
In which context might 'animalize' be used in a relatively neutral, technical sense?