depoliticize
gb/dˈɛpəlɪtɪsˌaɪz/ us/dˈɛpəlɪtɪsˌaɪz/
C1
English
Senses
0 senses
Verb
formal
C1
action
1
remove political influence
to make something less political or less controlled by political interests
Usage pattern:
depoliticize [something]
Common mistake:
Do not confuse it with politicize, which means to make something political.
Synonyms
neutralize (emphasizes making something less biased or controversial)
|
make nonpolitical (plainer and more explicit wording)
|
de-partisanize (focuses specifically on removing party-political influence; less common)
Antonyms
politicize (to make something political or politically controversial)
|
partisanize (to make something controlled by or associated with party interests)
Collocations
depoliticize an issue
|depoliticize the debate
|depoliticize the process
|depoliticize an institution
|depoliticize the civil service
|depoliticize the courts
|depoliticize the police
|depoliticize education
|depoliticize decision-making
|depoliticize public health
Themes
politics
|public_policy
|institutions
|media
Examples
- The government promised to depoliticize the appointment process for senior judges.
- Experts argued that the health agency needed to be depoliticized before the next crisis.
- The reform was designed to depoliticize public broadcasting and protect it from party pressure.
Learner examples
- They want to depoliticize the school board.
- The committee tried to depoliticize the debate.
Verb
formal
C2
action
2
reduce political engagement
to make people care less about politics or take less part in political life
Usage pattern:
depoliticize [someone/a group/a population]
Common mistake:
This meaning is about people becoming less politically active, not about making an institution politically neutral.
Synonyms
demobilize (emphasizes reducing organized political action or protest)
|
disengage (broader; can refer to withdrawing from any activity, not only politics)
|
make apathetic (emphasizes loss of interest or concern)
Antonyms
politicize (to make people more politically aware or involved)
|
mobilize (to organize people to take political or social action)
|
radicalize (to make someone adopt more extreme political views)
Collocations
depoliticize citizens
|depoliticize voters
|depoliticize students
|depoliticize workers
|depoliticize the public
|depoliticize a population
|depoliticize young people
|depoliticize society
Themes
politics
|society
|civic_life
|activism
Examples
- Years of repression depoliticized many citizens, who learned to avoid public debate.
- Critics said the curriculum depoliticized students instead of encouraging civic participation.
- Some commentators argue that constant scandals can depoliticize voters by making politics seem pointless.
Learner examples
- The campaign did not want to depoliticize young voters.
- Fear can depoliticize a community.
Verb
formal
C2
action
3
frame as nonpolitical
to make a political problem seem as if it is not political
Usage pattern:
depoliticize [a problem/an issue/a debate] by [doing something]
Common mistake:
This use often has a critical tone: it suggests that the political side of an issue is being hidden or minimized.
Synonyms
neutralize (suggests making an issue seem neutral or uncontroversial)
|
technicalize (suggests turning a political question into a technical one; less common)
|
sanitize (suggests removing uncomfortable or controversial aspects)
Antonyms
politicize (to emphasize the political meaning or consequences of something)
|
repoliticize (to make something political again after it has been treated as nonpolitical)
Collocations
depoliticize poverty
|depoliticize inequality
|depoliticize burnout
|depoliticize climate change
|depoliticize violence
|depoliticize labor issues
|depoliticize social problems
|depoliticize the discussion
|depoliticize the narrative
Themes
politics
|rhetoric
|media
|academia
|social_issues
Examples
- Calling the layoffs a matter of efficiency depoliticized decisions that affected entire communities.
- Some critics say wellness programs depoliticize burnout by treating it as an individual health problem rather than a workplace issue.
- The report's technical language depoliticized the debate over housing affordability.
Learner examples
- The article says the policy depoliticizes poverty.
- The speaker tried to depoliticize the issue by calling it a technical problem.
Grammar
Dictionary form
depoliticize
IPA
GB/dˈɛpəlɪtɪsˌaɪz/
US/dˈɛpəlɪtɪsˌaɪz/
Syllables & stress
de - pol - it - i - cize (5 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (de)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: depoliticize
- 3rd Person Singular: depoliticizes
- Present Participle: depoliticizing
- Past: depoliticized
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.