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
Ronald Brownstein, Twin Cities, 26 Apr. 2026
The series also scrutinized Dees’ compensation and personal life, and complaints from Black staffers who said they were marginalized inside an organization publicly devoted to racial justice.
—Josh Meyer, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
Gerrymandering reduces electoral competition, entrenches incumbents and marginalizes whole communities, ultimately eroding public trust in democracy.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
Without academic excellence, social-justice education accords marginalized children neither education nor justice.
—Steven F. Wilson, The Atlantic, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for marginalize
Cite this Entry
“Marginalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/marginalize. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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marginalize
verb
