demonize
C1Formal, academic, journalistic, political discourse.
Definition
Meaning
to portray someone or something as evil, wicked, or demonic.
To vilify or represent in an excessively negative and simplified light, often to delegitimize, ostracize, or justify hostility towards a person, group, or idea.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Implies a deliberate, systematic, and often unfair process of negative characterization. It carries a strong connotation of propaganda, scapegoating, or reducing complex entities to pure malevolence. Often used in critiques of political or media rhetoric.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling: UK also accepts 'demonise'. Usage and meaning are identical.
Connotations
Identical in both varieties.
Frequency
Slightly more common in American political commentary, but widely used in both.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] demonizes [Object][Subject] is demonized (by [Agent])to demonize [Object] as [Noun Phrase]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “paint someone as the devil”
- “make a monster out of someone”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Possibly in discussions of corporate PR or hostile takeovers, e.g., 'The competitor was demonized in the internal memos.'
Academic
Common in political science, sociology, media studies, and history to describe propaganda techniques and social polarization.
Everyday
Used in discussions about politics, media bias, or social conflicts.
Technical
Used in psychology and sociology to describe processes of 'othering' and dehumanization.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The tabloids sought to demonise the protestors, calling them dangerous radicals.
- It is unhelpful to demonise your political opponents in a debate.
American English
- Some talk shows consistently demonize immigrants to drive ratings.
- The senator warned against demonizing entire industries during the economic crisis.
adverb
British English
- The group was spoken of demonisingly in the report.
- He argued demonisingly against the policy.
American English
- The host spoke demonizingly about his guests.
- The article was written demonizingly.
adjective
British English
- The article had a demonising tone that worried media watchdogs.
- He rejected the use of demonising rhetoric.
American English
- She objected to the demonizing portrayal of activists in the documentary.
- The campaign used demonizing ads.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- It is wrong to demonize people who have different opinions.
- The newspaper article tried to demonize the company.
- Politicians sometimes demonize their rivals to win votes.
- The film has been accused of demonizing a particular religious community.
- We must avoid demonizing complex social problems.
- The regime's propaganda machine worked tirelessly to demonize intellectuals as enemies of the state.
- Historians caution against demonizing historical figures, advocating instead for nuanced understanding.
- This rhetoric serves to demonize welfare recipients and justify budget cuts.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of turning a person into a DEMON in the public's eyes. DE-MON-IZE.
Conceptual Metaphor
OPPONENTS ARE DEMONS / IDEAS ARE EVIL FORCES.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque from 'демонизировать' in overly casual contexts where 'очернять', 'выставлять чудовищем' might be more natural. The English word is strong and formal.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing with 'dehumanize' (broader, not necessarily evil). Using it for mild criticism. Incorrect: 'My teacher demonized me for being late.' Correct: 'The propaganda demonized the entire ethnic group.'
Practice
Quiz
In academic discourse, 'demonize' is most closely related to which concept?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, the term itself is critical. To say someone is 'demonizing' another is to imply they are being unfair, reductive, and propagandistic.
Yes. Abstract concepts like 'socialism', 'capitalism', or 'globalization' are often demonized in political speech, meaning they are portrayed as inherently and simplistically evil.
'Criticize' is neutral and can be fair or unfair. 'Demonize' is a strong, unfair form of criticism that aims to paint the target as monstrous or purely evil, often to isolate or incite hatred against them.
Demonization (US/UK) or demonisation (UK variant).
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