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marginalize

MAR-jin-uh-lize /ˈmɑːr.dʒɪ.nə.laɪz/

verbC1GRESATACT

academicsociological

To treat a person, group, or concept as insignificant or peripheral.

Implies a systemic, societal, or organizational pushing of a minority group to the edges (margins) of power, influence, or visibility.

The story behind the word. Coined in the mid-20th century, marginalize comes from the word 'margin', which traces back to the Latin 'margo' (border). It literally refers to the act of writing notes in the margins of a page, thereby keeping them separate from the main, important body of the text.

Word relationships

sideline: Sideline is more informal and often used in sports or corporate politics, while marginalize is academic and describes systemic social exclusion.
deprecate: Deprecate means to express disapproval of, whereas marginalize is to actually reduce someone's power or status in society.

empower: To empower is to give power or authority to a group, which is the direct opposite of marginalizing them.
integrate: To integrate is to bring a group into the mainstream of society, ensuring their voices are heard.

Commonly confused with

minimize: Minimize means to reduce the size or importance of something, while marginalize specifically means pushing a group to the social fringes.

Word family

marginalization (noun): The social process of becoming or being made marginal.
marginalized (adjective): Pushed to the margins of society or an organization.

Collocations

marginalize communities
systematically marginalized
marginalize voices

Example sentences

"The rapid shift toward digital banking threatens to marginalize elderly citizens who lack access to reliable internet." An academic paper on economic inequality.
"Traditional history textbooks often marginalize the contributions of women and minority inventors." A critique of historical narratives.

Memory hook

Think of the 'margins' of a notebook paper—the blank space on the edge where you write unimportant scribbles, away from the main text. Push to the margins.

When not to use

Do not use when referring to physical banishment or individual arguments; it describes a structural or cultural process.

Fun facts

The term 'marginal man' was first used by sociologist Robert E. Park in 1928 to describe individuals who find themselves caught between two different cultural groups, belonging fully to neither.

Related words

alienate, segregate, relegate

Explore more words

marginalization, marginalized, stigmatize, Ostracism, underprivileged, disenfranchise