dehumanised
Definition
Adjective: 1. Divested of human qualities or attributes: Describes a person, group, or situation that has been stripped of human characteristics such as compassion, individuality, dignity, or moral sensibility, often as a result of cruel treatment, systemic oppression, or psychological conditioning. 2. Treated as if not human: Describes the act of perceiving or treating people as mere objects, numbers, or instruments, thereby denying their inherent human worth and rights.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- The prisoners lived in dehumanised conditions, stripped of all privacy and personal identity.
- Propaganda is often used to create a dehumanised image of the enemy, making them easier to hate.
- The factory's focus on pure efficiency led to a dehumanised work environment where employees felt like cogs in a machine.
Advanced Usage
- "to dehumanise" (verb): The process of making someone or something less human. The adjective "dehumanised" describes the state resulting from this process.
- War can dehumanise both the aggressors and the victims. (Verb)
- The survivors were left dehumanised by their traumatic experiences. (Adjective - result)
Variants and Related Words
- Dehumanising (adj): Causing the loss of human qualities. Describes the action or thing that creates the state of being dehumanised.
- The use of solitary confinement is widely criticized as a dehumanising practice.
- Dehumanisation (n): The act or process of dehumanising.
- The dehumanisation of marginalized groups is a common tactic of totalitarian regimes.
Synonyms
- Brutalised: Treated brutally, made brutal.
- Degraded: Reduced in dignity or quality.
- Objectified: Treated as an object rather than a person.
- Desensitised: Made less sensitive or responsive, especially to human suffering.
Antonyms
- Humanised: Endowed with human qualities, made more human.
- Dignified: Having or showing a composed or serious manner that is worthy of respect.
- Civilised: Characterized by advanced social and cultural development.
Related Phrases and Concepts
- Loss of agency: The state of being deprived of the power to act independently, often a component of being dehumanised.
- Treat as a means to an end: A philosophical concept (from Immanuel Kant) describing the unethical act of using a person merely as a tool, which is a core aspect of dehumanisation.
Adjective
-
divested of human qualities or attributes
Khám phá thêm
Các từ liên quan
Từ đồng nghĩa
Từ tương tự
Từ gần giống