dehumanize

/diːˈhjuːmənaɪz/

//diːˈhjuːmənaɪz// verb

"dehumanize" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“dehumanize” is uncommon English (frequency #79,440 among 3,470 “D” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#79,440
frequency rank, English
3,470
“D” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To take away humanity; to remove or deny human qualities, characteristics, or attributes; to impersonalize.

Corpus desk

Index EN-dehumanize · dehumanize · English

dehumanize · rank #79,440 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #79,440
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,470
  • PHOTO-FINISH dejection

Nearest frequency peer: dejection (+1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “dehumanize”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “dehumanize” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for dehumanize
PropertyValue
Headworddehumanize
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/diːˈhjuːmənaɪz/
Letters10
Frequency rank#79,440
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “dehumanize” in English

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).dehumanizefalls in this rarity band:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Rare peers in the same band: “dejection” (#79,441), “deez” (#79,438), “deeps” (#79,437). Among 3,470 “D” headwords, “dehumanize” is #79,440. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

dehumanize is uncommon English at frequency #79,440 among 3,470 “D” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /diːˈhjuːmənaɪz/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "To take away humanity; to remove or deny human qualities, characteristics, or attributes; to impersonalize.".

dehumanize doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From de- + humanize. The correct English form is dehumanize, spelled D-E-H-U-M-A-N-I-Z-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To take away humanity; to remove or deny human qualities, characteristics, or attributes; to impersonalize.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how dehumanize appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. In its consistently logical form Quietism makes communion between man and God an impossibility by annulling the distinction between them, ultimately reducing God to a vague and empty abstraction, and dehumanizing man.
  2. Yet we are dismayed by the failures and forces that dehumanize and defeat the finest dreams and plans of this generation.

Etymology

From de- + humanize.

Antonyms

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "dehumanize"?
"dehumanize" is spelled D-E-H-U-M-A-N-I-Z-E. The IPA pronunciation is /diːˈhjuːmənaɪz/.
What does "dehumanize" mean?
As a verb, "dehumanize" means: To take away humanity; to remove or deny human qualities, characteristics, or attributes; to impersonalize.
How do you pronounce "dehumanize"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "dehumanize" is /diːˈhjuːmənaɪz/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "dehumanize"?
From de- + humanize. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "dehumanize", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 10 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list