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marginalize

MAR-jin-uh-lyz /ˈmɑːdʒɪnəlaɪz/

verbC1GRESATTOEFLIELTSUPSC

academicformalpolitical

To treat a person, group, or concept as insignificant, peripheral, or powerless by pushing them to the outer edges of a society or system.

Marginalization is usually systemic and structural, rather than just an individual act of unkindness.

The story behind the word. Coined relatively recently in English, 'marginalize' combines 'margin' (from the Latin 'margo,' meaning 'border' or 'edge') with the suffix '-ize.' It literally means to push someone or something to the outer edges of a page or society, away from the center where the important decisions and actions take place.

Word relationships

sidelight: Sidelight is a less common term, whereas marginalize is the standard academic and political term for pushing a group to the periphery.
demote: Demote means to lower someone's official rank, whereas marginalize is about reducing their social power and visibility.

empower: Empower means to give power, authority, or influence to a group, which is the direct opposite of marginalizing them.
center: Center means to make a group or concept the focus of attention and power.

Commonly confused with

ostracize: Ostracizing is an active, social banishment or shunning of an individual, while marginalizing is a systemic pushing of a group to the powerless edges of society.

Word family

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

Collocations

marginalized groups
systematically marginalize
marginalize voices
socially marginalized

Idioms & expressions

push to the sidelines

Example sentences

"As property values rose, rapid gentrification threatened to marginalize the low-income families who had lived in the neighborhood for generations." Discussing economic inequality and urban development.

Memory hook

Think of the 'margins' of a notebook page. The margins are the empty spaces on the outer edges where you write notes, away from the main text. To marginalize is to push people into those empty, ignored spaces. Marginalize pushes people to the margins.

When not to use

Do not use 'marginalize' for minor, temporary exclusions (like not being invited to a single lunch); it refers to a broader lack of power and representation.

Fun facts

The term 'marginality' was first introduced into sociology by Robert E. Park in 1928 to describe individuals who lived in two distinct cultural worlds.
In publishing, 'marginalia' refers to the handwritten notes scribbled in the margins of a book.

Related words

alienate, ostracize

Explore more words

marginalization, marginalized, stigmatize, Ostracism, underprivileged, disenfranchise