marginalize
verb
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Marginalized Writing vs. Marginalized People
Marginalize provides a striking case of how thoroughly the figurative use of a word can take over the literal one. The original (and now obsolete) meaning of this word, “to write notes in the margin of,” is analogous to the still-familiar noun marginalia, “marginal notes or embellishments." A margin is, of course, the blank space surrounding the text in a book. Just prior to 1970, marginalize took on the sense that is most commonly encountered today, “to relegate to an unimportant or powerless position” (that is, to the metaphorical margins of society). This use of the verb can be found as far back as 1968; an article in The Los Angeles Times from June 20th of that year reports, “[T]he Negro was kept aside, marginalized, thus composing in its large majority the chronically poor.” In its newer sense, marginalize has assumed a much more prominent place in the vocabulary than it once had.
Examples of marginalize in a Sentence
Wes Kilgore, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025
Again, no one is challenging the Constitutional right of individuals or private organizations to marginalize themselves by making hateful, toxic comments.
—Jeff Rhodes, Oc Register, 30 July 2025
Meanwhile, proponents say DEI programs benefit students from all backgrounds by promoting inclusionary environments in which people who have been historically marginalized can find belonging and feel supported.
—Lily Kepner, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
Some restaurant owners agree, suggesting the time change and Churchill Downs' policies marginalize local businesses.
—Amanda Hancock, The Courier-Journal, 26 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for marginalize
Cite this Entry
“Marginalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/marginalize. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.
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marginalize
verb
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