Meaning & use

marginalize

verb·Academic

To treat a person or group as unimportant and push them to the edges of society, discussion, or influence.

See it in a sentence

The new policy risks marginalizing rural communities that already struggle to access healthcare.

For decades, the language was marginalized in schools that only taught the dominant tongue.

A note on using this word

Marginalize is frequently used in the passive voice, as in marginalized groups, to describe people who face systemic exclusion or reduced influence.

Words with a similar meaning

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Words with an opposite meaning

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