disenfranchised

adjective

dis·​en·​fran·​chised ˌdis-in-ˈfran-ˌchīzd How to pronounce disenfranchised (audio)
Synonyms of disenfranchisednext
: deprived of some right, privilege, or immunity
Tough, resourceful, and determined to help her disenfranchised and disenchanted students learn how to learn and love it, Johnson employs a barrage of techniques.Donna Seaman
The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill does what it can, but the millions of mentally ill remain the least supported, the most disenfranchised, and the most excluded people in our society today.Oliver Sacks
especially : deprived of the right to vote
The value of the right to vote, however, given the reality of racial voting patterns, will depend on whether it translates into political power and influence for the previously disenfranchised minority. Alan Freeman

Examples of disenfranchised in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Every American ought to want to see policies that improve the health of those most disenfranchised and dependent. Arthur Caplan, Hartford Courant, 25 Mar. 2026 Like his French contemporary Victor Hugo, Dickens trained his eye for injustice on encounters with the hard-up and disenfranchised. Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 24 Mar. 2026 Psychiatric rehabilitation practices could improve the extent to which they are culturally tailored and centered on serving the most vulnerable and disenfranchised populations. Adrienne Lapidos, The Conversation, 18 Mar. 2026 Others can better explain his remarkable journey to make America better for the disenfranchised, and his zeal to help create a true rainbow of inclusion. Rick Davis, CNN Money, 27 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for disenfranchised

Word History

First Known Use

1818, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of disenfranchised was in 1818

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Disenfranchised.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disenfranchised. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on disenfranchised

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster