Meaning & use
marginalized
Last updated
“marginalized” is a form of “marginalize”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meaning
adjectivecomparable
Treated as unimportant and kept outside the group that has power, resources, or full participation.
Grammar: Can come before a noun or after be, feel, or become; often modified by highly, severely, or historically.
Patterns
- marginalized communities
- marginalized voices
- be marginalized by society
- historically marginalized groups
The grant prioritizes marginalized communities with little access to loans.
Rural patients often feel marginalized by the healthcare system.
Historically marginalized groups are demanding a larger role in policy.
Common combinations
- marginalized communities
- The library added books requested by marginalized communities.
- marginalized voices
- The documentary makes room for marginalized voices.
- economically marginalized
- Rising rents have left many families economically marginalized.
- severely marginalized
- Without interpreters, deaf patients may be severely marginalized.
Synonyms and how they differ
- excluded
- Focuses on being kept out; marginalized also suggests loss of influence and resources inside society.
- disenfranchised
- Stronger about losing political or civil rights; marginalized is broader and social as well as legal.
- sidelined
- Often temporary and less formal; marginalized usually describes a deeper structural position.
- underrepresented
- Means too few members are present; a group can be underrepresented without being fully marginalized.
Opposites
Word family
- marginalize verb
- To push someone or something to the edge of power or attention.
- marginalization noun
- The process or condition of being marginalized.
- marginal adjective
- At the edge, or so small as to be almost unimportant.
- marginally adverb
- Only slightly; by a small amount.
Commonly confused: marginalized or marginal?
marginalized vs marginal
Marginal can mean minor or near the edge; marginalized people are actively denied influence or participation.
Practice
Choose the most natural completion: The fund supports ___ rural artists.
Choose one answer.
Before the noun artists, an adjective is needed; marginalized means denied full participation. Marginally is an adverb, marginalize is a verb, and marginal means only slight or edge-related.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “marginalized”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.