villainize
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
We’ve been taught to fetishize our suffering and villainize our joy — that working toward a long-term goal should feel like work.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 27, 2026
When “Yellowstone,” Sheridan’s first show, premiered in 2018, #MeToo was reverberating across television with producers waffling over whether to villainize or defend macho characters.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 31, 2025
“Anybody who is using this as an opportunity to villainize our trans community or any other community out there has lost their sense of common humanity,” he said at a press conference.
From Salon ● Aug. 28, 2025
But she also sees a temptation among public officials to villainize or medicalize loneliness— and to tout simplistic “solutions” to a complex and natural part of the human experience.
From Science Magazine ● Apr. 24, 2024
“No. They probably would villainize you to justify it.”
From "On the Come Up" by Angie Thomas
These feelings have morphed into, as I’ve heard it, “showing empathy for categories of people who are marginalized and villainized and did nothing to bring it on themselves.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 21, 2025
But it’s important to note that not all cultures villainized menstruation, Clancy says.
From National Geographic ● Nov. 29, 2023
With far too little data and much speculation, it wasn't long before all fat was villainized and getting it out of American diets sounded like the way to go.
From Salon ● Sep. 7, 2023
Bartman — the headphone-wearing, turtlenecked Cubs fan soon villainized by Chicago for his oblivious front-row interference — prevented Alou from completing a leaping catch.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 24, 2023
“We’re not only being tasked with taking this on, but we’re villainized for speaking up,” Castro said.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 3, 2023
I mean, I want us to get back to kindness, get back to respecting one another, instead of villainizing anyone who you think doesn’t agree with you.
From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2025
Figgener fears the public also became too focused on villainizing straws, rather than looking at plastic production itself as the problem.
From National Geographic ● Dec. 12, 2023
The Corporation is just like all the giant conglomerates villainizing contemporary narratives, from Dave Eggers’ “The Circle” to “Silicon Valley’s” Hooli to “WALL-E’s” Buy n Large to “Severance’s” Lumon Industries.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 18, 2023
“There’s a risk of demonizing or villainizing the Rio Grande cutthroat,” Mitchell said.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 25, 2022
Though Aniston is down to do whatever unbecoming thing is asked of her, the show itself seems intermittently panicked about how far it can go in villainizing her.
From Slate ● Nov. 14, 2019
