marginalize

verb

mar·​gin·​al·​ize ˈmär-jə-nᵊl-ˌīz How to pronounce marginalize (audio)
ˈmärj-nə-ˌlīz
marginalized; marginalizing

transitive verb

: to relegate (see relegate sense 2) to an unimportant or powerless position within a society or group
We are protesting policies that marginalize women.
marginalization noun

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Marginalized Writing vs. Marginalized People

Marginalize provides a striking case of how thoroughly the figurative use of a word can take over the literal one. The original (and now obsolete) meaning of this word, “to write notes in the margin of,” is analogous to the still-familiar noun marginalia, “marginal notes or embellishments." A margin is, of course, the blank space surrounding the text in a book. Just prior to 1970, marginalize took on the sense that is most commonly encountered today, “to relegate to an unimportant or powerless position” (that is, to the metaphorical margins of society). This use of the verb can be found as far back as 1968; an article in The Los Angeles Times from June 20th of that year reports, “[T]he Negro was kept aside, marginalized, thus composing in its large majority the chronically poor.” In its newer sense, marginalize has assumed a much more prominent place in the vocabulary than it once had.

Examples of marginalize in a Sentence

The program helps people from marginalized groups.
Recent Examples on the Web But the more everyday scenes of women being marginalized, dismissed, patronized, objectified, and altogether ignored feel far more insidious. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 18 Oct. 2024 Ani could be one of those tantalizing women, both marginalized and sexualized, who turn up in literature — someone like Caroline Meeber in Theodore Dreiser's Sister Carrie. Tom Gliatto, People.com, 17 Oct. 2024 Certain diseases and conditions have been used to justify discrimination, especially when the disease is more prevalent in a group that’s already marginalized. Lauren Gravitz, Scientific American, 15 Oct. 2024 Traditional media is rarely carving out space to discuss the concerns of women, LGBTQ people, BIPOC people, and others who have been historically marginalized. Brea Baker, refinery29.com, 9 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for marginalize 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'marginalize.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1968, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of marginalize was in 1968

Dictionary Entries Near marginalize

Cite this Entry

“Marginalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/marginalize. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

marginalize

verb
mar·​gin·​al·​ize ˈmärj-nəl-ˌīz How to pronounce marginalize (audio)
-ən-ᵊl-
marginalized; marginalizing
: to remove to or keep in a position without influence in a society or group
marginalization noun

More from Merriam-Webster on marginalize

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