What does hazing mean?
Hazing is the practice of subjecting newcomers or junior members to humiliating, intimidating, or degrading treatment, especially during initiation. It commonly appears in discussions of schools, universities, military units, sports teams, workplaces, and other groups, and often carries a strongly negative legal and ethical connotation. As a noun, hazing can name the practice as a whole or a particular initiation ordeal; as a verb, it describes the act of imposing that treatment. The term has become especially prominent in connection with efforts to prevent and prosecute abusive initiation practices. Historically, hazing developed from the idea of making someone hazy or confused, linking an older sense of obscuring perception to the modern practice of stripping newcomers of dignity before admitting them to a group. Because many initiation traditions contain both harmless rituals and genuinely harmful conduct, the word is useful for distinguishing coercion and degradation from ordinary rites of passage. Its continued presence in debates about group culture makes it a recognizable term beyond its original institutional contexts.
The practice of subjecting newcomers or junior members to humiliating, intimidating, or degrading treatment, especially during initiation; an act or instance of such treatment.
"The committee launched an inquiry into hazing allegations within the sports program."
Usually negative; legal definitions and the conduct they cover differ by jurisdiction.
To subject someone to humiliating, intimidating, or degrading treatment, especially as a condition of joining a group.
"Senior members were accused of hazing new recruits."
Often used in the passive, as in “was hazed,” though the form can also mean “made hazy” in other contexts.
Usually treated as an uncountable noun; the plural refers to separate incidents or cases of hazing.
"The report documented three hazings at different schools."
Hazing literally means “making hazy” or confusing; its notorious modern sense applies that idea to the deliberate humiliation of newcomers.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hazing come from?
Hazing derives from haze with the suffix -ing and originally conveyed the idea of making someone hazy or confused. Its modern sense developed through the metaphor of obscuring or humbling newcomers as part of initiation. The related forms haze, hazy, and haziness share the same lexical root.
Related word forms
How hazing is actually used
The word is strongly negative and commonly refers to abusive initiation practices in schools, universities, the military, sports organizations, workplaces, and other groups. It is not interchangeable with every initiation rite, since many traditions are harmless or ceremonial. Legal definitions vary by jurisdiction. The form “hazed” can also mean “made hazy,” so context is needed to distinguish the meanings.