Meaning & use
depersonalizing
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“depersonalizing” is a form of “depersonalize”.
Meanings
verbtransitive
Present participle of depersonalize: removing the individual, human or emotional character from something, or treating people as if they were interchangeable.
Grammar: Takes an object: depersonalizing the process.
Patterns
- depersonalize something
Replacing names with case numbers is depersonalizing the whole procedure.
The company was accused of depersonalizing its customer service by using only scripts.
By depersonalizing the debate, she kept the discussion calm and focused on facts.
adjectivebefore a noun
Making people feel like objects or numbers rather than individuals with feelings.
Grammar: Usually comes before a noun: a depersonalizing system.
Patterns
- a depersonalizing experience
Many patients found the large, noisy ward a depersonalizing experience.
The depersonalizing effect of huge lecture halls worried the dean.
Common combinations
- depersonalizing effect
- The depersonalizing effect of uniforms was deliberate.
- depersonalizing process
- Filling in endless forms felt like a depersonalizing process.
- risk of depersonalizing
- There is a risk of depersonalizing care when staff are rushed.
- avoid depersonalizing
- Good managers avoid depersonalizing their teams.
- depersonalizing language
- Calling people 'units' is depersonalizing language.
Synonyms and how they differ
- dehumanizing
- Stronger than depersonalizing, it suggests treating people as less than human, not just as numbers.
- objectifying
- Focuses on treating a person as a thing, often in a social or sexual context.
- impersonal
- An adjective for something that lacks warmth, whereas depersonalizing describes an action or effect.
Word family
- depersonalize verb
- to make impersonal
- depersonalization noun
- the act or state of becoming impersonal, or a feeling of unreality about oneself
- personal adjective
- belonging to an individual
- impersonal adjective
- not showing personal feeling
Practice
Which sentence uses depersonalizing correctly?
Choose one answer.
Depersonalizing describes something that removes individuality. The other options describe warmth or personal touches, which contradict it.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “depersonalizing”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.