What does demonized mean?
Demonized is the past tense and past participle of the verb demonize, meaning to portray someone or something as evil, wicked, or dangerously threatening — frequently in a way that exaggerates or distorts the truth. The word draws on the figure of the demon, so calling a person demonized suggests they have been cast not merely as flawed but as morally monstrous. It appears most often in discussions of politics, journalism, and public debate, where individuals, groups, or ideas are said to be demonized by opponents or the media. Because the term implies an unjust or inflammatory characterization, describing someone as demonized typically signals sympathy toward them or criticism of those doing the portraying. Related forms include demonize, demonizing, and the noun demonization. In British English the spelling is demonised, following the -ise convention.
Past tense and past participle of demonize: portrayed as wicked or evil, especially unfairly or exaggeratedly.
"The candidate was demonized by her rivals throughout the campaign."
Often used in the passive with an agent ('demonized by the press').
Characterized or represented as demonic or evil in nature.
"The film's demonized antagonist embodied every fear of the era."
To demonize someone is literally to make a demon of them — a word that turns moral judgment into mythology.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of demonized
Demonized derives from demonize, formed from the noun demon plus the suffix -ize, meaning 'to make or treat as'. Demon traces back through Latin daemon and Greek daimōn, originally a neutral term for a divine or supernatural being that gradually acquired negative connotations in Christian usage. The verb demonize arose in English around the 19th century, and its figurative sense of unfairly portraying someone as evil became widespread in 20th-century political and media language.
Related word forms
How demonized is actually used
Carries a strongly negative connotation and often implies that the portrayal is unfair, exaggerated, or propagandistic. Common in political, media, and social commentary. The spelling 'demonised' is standard in British English.
Easily confused with demonized
Demonise is simply the British spelling of the verb whose past form is demonised, whereas demonized is the American-spelled past form — the words mean the same.