Victimise: Definition, Usage & Examples Explained

Meaning 1：unfairly target and harm (victimise)

victimise 🔊

/ˈvɪk.tɪ.maɪz/

vt.

To treat someone unfairly or make them suffer because of who they are or what they believe.

Victimise meaning illustrated by a child being unfairly targeted and isolated by a group in a schoolyard.

unfairly target and harm 🔊

➕

/ʌnˈfeəli ˈtɑːɡɪt ənd ˈhɑːm/

vt.

To single out an individual or group for unjust treatment, often based on prejudice, causing them to suffer.

📁 Category：Behaviors & Actions 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From 'victim' (Latin 'victima', sacrifice) + '-ise' (verb suffix meaning 'to make').

💡 Mnemonic

Think: 'victim' + 'ise' – to make someone a victim, like targeting them unfairly.

📖 Example

The new policy was criticized because it seemed to victimise small business owners who couldn't afford the extra costs. 🔊 The policy faced criticism for appearing to unfairly harm small business owners by imposing unaffordable costs.

🔗 Collocations

victimise someone – to treat someone as a victim unfairly

be victimised by – to be unfairly treated by someone or something

systematically victimise – to unfairly target someone in a planned and repeated manner

🔄 Synonyms

persecute (vt.) – to subject someone to hostility and ill-treatment, especially for their beliefs or identity

oppress (vt.) – to keep someone in hardship through unjust authority or control

discriminate against (v. phr.) – to make unfair distinctions in treatment based on categories like race or gender

🚫 Antonyms

protect (vt.) – to keep someone safe from harm or danger

support (vt.) – to give assistance or encouragement to someone

defend (vt.) – to resist attacks on someone or argue in their favor

🌱 Derivatives

victim (n.) – a person harmed or injured as a result of an event or action

victimisation (n.) – the act of unfairly singling someone out for cruel treatment

victimiser (n.) – a person who victimises others

📖 Cultural Story

Derived from Latin 'victima' (sacrificial animal), 'victimise' entered English in the 19th century, often used in legal and social contexts to describe unfair treatment.