dehumanise
Treat as subhuman
Dehumanise is the British spelling of dehumanize—to strip away someone's humanity or treat them as less than human.
Propaganda often dehumanises enemies to make violence more palatable.
Systems can dehumanise through bureaucracy: The asylum process dehumanises refugees, reducing them to case numbers.
The word implies moral failing in whoever does the dehumanising.
Abusive condemnation of someone
- demonizationCasting as evil
- scapegoatingUnfairly assigning fault to innocents
- stigmatizationMarking as disgraceful
- alienationState of being isolated
exclusion · ostracism · prejudice · discrimination · xenophobia · racism · derogation · slurs
Savage, merciless behavior
- tortureDeliberate infliction of suffering
- sadismPleasure from inflicting pain
- barbaritySavage or cruel behavior
- callousnessCruel emotional indifference
savagery · atrocity · heartlessness · pitilessness · viciousness · mercilessness · cold-bloodedness · ferocity
Forcing into submission
- enslavementForced human ownership
- dominationSupreme authority held
- disenfranchisementRemoval of voting rights
- tyrannyOppressive, absolute governance
suppression · marginalization · subordination · repression · colonization · apartheid · segregation · genocide
Decline in condition
- humiliationLoss of dignity
- indignityHumiliating or degrading treatment
- shamePainful awareness of failure
- disgraceLoss of honor
stripping · violation · desecration · worthlessness · disposability · disrespect · contempt · denigration
Transforming into sellable goods
- instrumentalizationTreating as mere means
- exploitationSelfish use of others
- traffickingIllegal transport for profit
- depersonalizationDetachment from one's identity
reification · reducing · deindividuation · facelessness · namelessness · numbering · categorization · labeling
vilification
Abusive condemnation of someone
- demonizationCasting as evil
- scapegoatingUnfairly assigning fault to innocents
- stigmatizationMarking as disgraceful
alienation · exclusion · ostracism · prejudice · discrimination · xenophobia · racism · derogation · slurs · propaganda
brutality
Savage, merciless behavior
- tortureDeliberate infliction of suffering
- sadismPleasure from inflicting pain
- barbaritySavage or cruel behavior
callousness · savagery · atrocity · heartlessness · pitilessness · viciousness · mercilessness · cold-bloodedness · ferocity · bestiality
subjugation
Forcing into submission
- enslavementForced human ownership
- dominationSupreme authority held
- disenfranchisementRemoval of voting rights
tyranny · suppression · marginalization · subordination · repression · colonization · apartheid · segregation · genocide · caste
degradation
Decline in condition
- humiliationLoss of dignity
- indignityHumiliating or degrading treatment
- shamePainful awareness of failure
disgrace · stripping · violation · desecration · worthlessness · disposability · disrespect · contempt · denigration · debasement
commodification
Transforming into sellable goods
- instrumentalizationTreating as mere means
- exploitationSelfish use of others
- traffickingIllegal transport for profit
depersonalization · reification · reducing · deindividuation · facelessness · namelessness · numbering · categorization · labeling · stereotyping
dehumanisehumanize
Make more relatable
rehumanize · personalize · humanise · individualize · personify
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