depoliticize
C1/C2 (Low frequency in general contexts, high frequency in specific political, academic, and journalistic discourse).Formal, academic, journalistic.
Definition
Meaning
to remove something from the sphere of political activity, debate, or influence.
To make an issue, organization, or process neutral and not subject to political bias, partisanship, or ideological control. The goal is often to ensure impartiality, objectivity, or professional/technical management.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term inherently implies a prior state of being politicized. It is often used normatively, suggesting that removing political influence is a desirable or necessary action for impartiality or efficiency.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The spelling difference follows the standard '-ise' vs '-ize' pattern (depoliticise vs depoliticize). Both spellings are understood in the UK, though '-ise' is more traditional. The concept and usage are identical.
Connotations
Similar in both. Can carry a connotation of technocratic or managerial reform, sometimes criticized as a way to sideline democratic accountability.
Frequency
Slightly more common in British political/journalistic discourse due to different traditions of public sector management (e.g., 'depoliticising' the civil service).
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] (e.g., The government, A committee) depoliticizes [Object] (e.g., the process, the agency).[Object] (e.g., The decision) was depoliticized.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Take the politics out of something.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Might be used in discussions about corporate lobbying or internal governance.
Academic
Common in political science, public administration, and sociology texts analyzing state institutions.
Everyday
Very rare in casual conversation.
Technical
A key term in governance and public policy literature, referring to institutional reform.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The committee's first task was to depoliticise the appointments process.
- Calls to depoliticise the BBC are met with scepticism.
American English
- The new charter aimed to depoliticize the regulatory agency.
- They argued it was impossible to fully depoliticize the Supreme Court confirmation process.
adverb
British English
- Not applicable for this word form.
American English
- Not applicable for this word form.
adjective
British English
- The depoliticised nature of the civil service is a key constitutional principle.
- It was a carefully depoliticising move.
American English
- The commission's depoliticized structure was designed for impartiality.
- He advocated for a more depoliticizing approach.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Some people want to depoliticize sports.
- It is difficult to depoliticize this important decision.
- The reform aimed to depoliticize the national broadcasting service by creating an independent board.
- Critics argue that attempts to depoliticize the judiciary can themselves be political acts.
- A central tenet of the new governance model was to depoliticize technical standard-setting, delegating it to expert bodies.
- The discourse of 'depoliticization' often masks the imposition of a specific neoliberal ideology, presenting it as a neutral necessity.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: DE-POLITIC-IZE. The prefix 'de-' means 'remove', 'politic' is the root, and '-ize' means 'to make'. So, 'to make something have politics removed'.
Conceptual Metaphor
CLEANING / PURIFICATION (Removing the 'stain' or 'dirt' of politics from a process). NEUTRALIZATION (Making something chemically or electrically neutral).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque like *"деполитизировать" which is understood but unnatural. More natural options: "сделать (что-либо) внеполитическим", "вывести (что-либо) из сферы политики", "устранить политическое влияние на (что-либо)".
Common Mistakes
- Using it to mean 'to become less interested in politics' (correct: 'to become apolitical').
- Confusing 'depoliticize' with 'apologize' in fast speech due to phonetic similarity.
Practice
Quiz
What is the most precise meaning of 'depoliticize' in a public administration context?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is context-dependent. It is often used positively to describe achieving impartiality, but can be used critically to suggest the undemocratic removal of an issue from public debate ('technocratic depoliticization').
'Depoliticize' is a verb describing an active process. 'Apolitical' is an adjective describing a state of being uninterested or neutral in politics. You depoliticize an organization to make it apolitical.
It's unusual. You would typically say a person 'becomes apolitical' or 'withdraws from politics'. 'Depoliticize' is far more common with institutions, processes, or issues.
Yes, it is the standard British English spelling, while 'depoliticize' is standard in American English. The '-ize' spelling is also commonly used and accepted in British academic publishing.