humanize
gb/hjˈumənˌaɪz/ us/hjˈumənˌaɪz/
B2
English
emberségesebbé tenni, humánusabbá tenni, emberközelibbé tenni, megszemélyesít, emberi tulajdonságokkal ruház fel
VERB
C1
1
Usage pattern:
humanize [something]
The new guidelines aim to humanize elder care by giving residents more choice and privacy.
Az új irányelvek az idősellátást szeretnék emberségesebbé tenni azzal, hogy több választási lehetőséget és nagyobb magánszférát biztosítanak a bentlakóknak.
Activists are pushing to humanize the immigration system and reduce unnecessary detention.
Az aktivisták azért kampányolnak, hogy emberségesebbé tegyék a bevándorlási rendszert, és csökkentsék a szükségtelen fogva tartást.
The company revised its leave policy to humanize working life for new parents.
Learner examples
We should humanize the rules so they are fair.
Emberségesebbé kellene tennünk a szabályokat, hogy igazságosak legyenek.
The changes humanized the hospital experience.
A változtatások emberségesebbé tették a kórházi ellátást.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use humanize when they mean dehumanize (treat as not human).
Meaning
make something more humane
Collocations
humanize the system
|humanize the process
|humanize the workplace
|humanize the justice system
|humanize prison conditions
|humanize healthcare
|humanize childbirth
|humanize education
|humanize policies
|humanize working conditions
Synonyms
soften (Often implies reducing harshness, but not always about human dignity specifically.)
|
reform (Emphasizes changing rules or institutions; may or may not be about compassion.)
Antonyms
dehumanize (To strip away dignity or treat people as less than human.)
|
brutalize (To make harsher or more violent/cruel.)
Themes
society
|ethics
|law
|health
|public_policy
Definition
To make something kinder and less cruel.
To make a system, practice, or situation kinder and less harsh by considering people’s needs, dignity, and well-being.
VERB
B2
2
Usage pattern:
humanize [someone/something]
The interview helped humanize the CEO by showing his doubts and early failures.
Az interjú emberközelibbé tette a vezérigazgatót azzal, hogy megmutatta a kételyeit és a korai kudarcait.
The documentary humanizes people living with addiction instead of judging them.
A dokumentumfilm emberközelibbé teszi a függőséggel élő embereket ahelyett, hogy elítélné őket.
Adding small moments of humor can humanize a tense conversation.
Learner examples
The photo humanized her for many voters.
A fotó sok választó számára emberközelibbé tette őt.
He told a personal story to humanize himself.
Azért mesélt el egy személyes történetet, hogy emberközelibbé tegye magát.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse humanize (make relatable) with idolize (admire too much) or romanticize (make seem better than reality).
Meaning
make someone seem relatable
Collocations
humanize a politician
|humanize a leader
|humanize a public figure
|humanize a brand
|humanize a company
|humanize the story
|humanize the narrative
|humanize the victim
|humanize the enemy
|humanize the campaign
Synonyms
personalize (Focuses on adding personal details, not necessarily increasing empathy.)
|
make relatable (Plain-language synonym; less formal than humanize.)
Antonyms
depersonalize (To remove personal details and individuality.)
|
demonize (To portray someone as evil rather than human and complex.)
Themes
media
|politics
|business
|relationships
|communication
Definition
To show the personal side of someone, so they feel real and relatable.
To make someone or something seem more like a real person by showing emotions, personal details, or ordinary weaknesses.
VERB
C1
3
Usage pattern:
humanize [an animal/object/character]
The film tries to humanize the dragon by giving it a family and a sense of loss.
A film azzal ruházza fel emberi vonásokkal a sárkányt, hogy családot ad neki, és megmutatja, hogy képes megélni a veszteséget.
Children’s books often humanize animals so kids can relate to them.
A gyerekkönyvek gyakran megszemélyesítik az állatokat, hogy a gyerekek könnyebben tudjanak velük azonosulni.
The game humanizes its robots by giving them humor and recognizable emotions.
Learner examples
The story humanizes the bear.
A történet megszemélyesíti a medvét.
The artist humanized the computer with a face.
A művész emberi arccal ruházta fel a számítógépet.
Common mistake:
Humanize is sometimes used broadly for anthropomorphize; in careful writing, anthropomorphize is more precise.
Meaning
give nonhuman human traits
Collocations
humanize animals
|humanize a robot
|humanize a monster
|humanize a villain
|humanize a character
|humanize the creature
|humanize the alien
|humanize the AI
Synonyms
anthropomorphize (More precise and common in academic/technical contexts.)
|
personify (Often used for giving human qualities to abstract things (like fear or time).)
Antonyms
dehumanize (To remove human qualities from a person or character.)
|
objectify (To treat a person like an object rather than a human being.)
Themes
literature
|art
|film_tv
|design
Definition
To make an animal or thing act like a person in a story or picture.
To represent an animal, object, or nonhuman being as having human form, feelings, or behavior, especially in art, stories, or design.
VERB
C1
BUSINESS
4
Usage pattern:
humanize [technology/service/communication]
The team rewrote the error messages to humanize the app and reduce frustration.
A csapat átírta a hibaüzeneteket, hogy emberközelibbé tegye az alkalmazást, és csökkentse a felhasználók frusztrációját.
They’re trying to humanize customer service by letting agents speak in a natural voice.
Úgy próbálják emberközelibbé tenni az ügyfélszolgálatot, hogy az ügyintézők természetes hangon beszélhetnek.
The redesign humanized the portal with clearer language and more helpful guidance.
Learner examples
We need to humanize the website.
Emberközelibbé kell tennünk a weboldalt.
The new chatbot feels more humanized.
Az új chatbot sokkal emberközelibbnek hat.
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse humanize where simplify or clarify is enough; humanize often implies empathy or a more human tone.
Meaning
make technology feel people-centered
Collocations
humanize technology
|humanize AI
|humanize the interface
|humanize the user experience
|humanize customer service
|humanize automated emails
|humanize the chatbot
|humanize the data
|humanize the process
|humanize digital communication
Synonyms
user-proof (Informal; focuses on ease of use, not tone or empathy.)
|
make user-friendly (Focuses on usability rather than human warmth or values.)
Antonyms
automate (Can make processes more machine-driven and less personal in practice.)
|
mechanize (To make something operate like a machine; often implies less human touch.)
Themes
technology
|business
|user_experience
|communication
Definition
To make technology or service feel more friendly and easy for people.
To make technology, services, or communication feel more natural and people-centered, for example by improving usability, tone, or responsiveness to human needs.
Grammar
Dictionary form
humanize
IPA
GB/hjˈumənˌaɪz/
US/hjˈumənˌaɪz/
Syllables & stress
hu - man - ize (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (hu)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: humanize
- 3rd Person Singular: humanizes
- Present Participle: humanizing
- Past: humanized
Word family
Forms
humanizes
verb
humanizing
verb
humanized
verb
Related words
Negative and opposite forms
Advanced or less common
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.