marginalize: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1formal/academic, journalistic
Quick answer
What does “marginalize” mean?
to treat a person, group, or concept as insignificant or peripheral.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
to treat a person, group, or concept as insignificant or peripheral; to relegate to a position of little power or importance.
To systematically exclude or diminish the influence, voice, or presence of someone/something, often within a social, political, or economic system.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The spelling: UK 'marginalise' (though 'marginalize' is also widely accepted), US exclusively 'marginalize'. The verb is more common in US political/sociological discourse.
Connotations
Identical. Strongly associated with social justice, power dynamics, and critical theory.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in American English corpus data, but common in both.
Grammar
How to Use “marginalize” in a Sentence
[Subject] marginalizes [Object][Object] is marginalized (by [Subject])[Subject] marginalizes [Object] from/in [Context]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “marginalize” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The policy could marginalise vulnerable communities.
- Historically, dissenting voices have been marginalised in the official record.
American English
- The new regulations may marginalize small businesses.
- They argued that the media marginalizes third-party candidates.
adverb
British English
- Not a standard derivative. Rarely, if ever, used.
- N/A
adjective
British English
- The marginalised groups protested the decision.
- She wrote about marginalised communities.
American English
- They represented a marginalized population.
- The report focused on marginalized voices in the industry.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
'The new management structure risks marginalizing the experience of long-term employees.'
Academic
'The study examines how post-colonial narratives marginalized indigenous knowledge systems.'
Everyday
'She felt marginalized in the group because her suggestions were always ignored.'
Technical
'The algorithm's design could marginalize data from less-represented demographics.'
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “marginalize”
- Using it to mean 'to minimize' (e.g., 'We need to marginalize the risks' - INCORRECT).
- Confusing the adjective 'marginal' (small, minor) with the process-oriented verb 'marginalize'.
- Spelling: 'marginalise' (UK) vs. 'marginalize' (US).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The main noun forms are 'marginalization' (US) / 'marginalisation' (UK), referring to the process, and 'marginality', referring to the state.
Yes, in contemporary usage it carries a strong negative connotation, implying unfair or harmful exclusion. It is not used neutrally to mean simply 'to place at the edge'.
Yes, it is common in academic discourse to speak of marginalizing perspectives, theories, or forms of knowledge.
'Exclude' means to keep out entirely. 'Marginalize' is more specific: it means to allow in but relegate to an unimportant, powerless, or fringe position within a system. It's a form of partial or systemic exclusion.
to treat a person, group, or concept as insignificant or peripheral.
Marginalize is usually formal/academic, journalistic in register.
Marginalize: in British English it is pronounced /ˈmɑːdʒɪnəlaɪz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈmɑːrdʒɪnəlaɪz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “to be pushed to the margins”
- “to be left on the sidelines”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a page's MARGIN - the blank space at the edge. To MARGINALIZE is to push someone/something out to that unimportant edge.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOCIETY/ORGANIZATION IS A PAGE (central = important, marginal = unimportant).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'marginalize' CORRECTLY?