victimize

/ˈvɪktɪmaɪz/

//ˈvɪktɪmaɪz// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"victimize" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“victimize” is uncommon English (frequency #72,018 among 969 “V” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#72,018
frequency rank, English
969
“V” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To make (someone) a victim or sacrifice.

Corpus desk

Index EN-victimize · victimize · English

victimize · rank #72,018 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #72,018
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 969
  • PHOTO-FINISH Vette

Nearest frequency peer: Vette (-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 “victimize”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

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

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for victimize
PropertyValue
Headwordvictimize
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈvɪktɪmaɪz/
Letters9
Frequency rank#72,018
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “victimize” in English

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).victimizefalls 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: “Vette” (#72,017), “voyeuristic” (#72,020), “verbalize” (#72,015). Among 969 “V” headwords, “victimize” is #72,018. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

victimize is uncommon English at frequency #72,018 among 969 “V” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ˈvɪktɪmaɪz/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

victimize has no tracked misspelling variants, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From victim + -ize. The correct English form is victimize, spelled V-I-C-T-I-M-I-Z-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To make (someone) a victim or sacrifice.
  2. 2
    To punish unjustly.
  3. 3
    To swindle or defraud.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

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

  1. Yet, even as Democratic party leadership has decried this mass deportation plan and even as the bill maligns Democrats as victimizing Americans through its policy of “open borders,” 48 Democratic members of Congress voted for this GOP-backed bill.

Etymology

From victim + -ize.

This word in other languages

victimizar(Español)victimiser(Français)opfern(Deutsch)vitimar(Português)

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 "victimize"?
"victimize" is spelled V-I-C-T-I-M-I-Z-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈvɪktɪmaɪz/.
What does "victimize" mean?
As a verb, "victimize" means: To make (someone) a victim or sacrifice.
How do you pronounce "victimize"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "victimize" is /ˈvɪktɪmaɪz/. 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 "victimize"?
From victim + -ize. 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 "victimize", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

verbalize#72,015varicella#72,014unreality#72,006wordsmith#72,035

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list