Demonises

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Represents someone or something as purely evil or morally wrong
2. Depicts a person, group, or idea as malevolent or harmful
3. Shows an entity in a very negative light, emphasizing its bad or dangerous nature

Etymology: This is an inflected form: the third-person singular present of "demonise", meaning "to portray someone or something as evil or harmful." The verb is built from "demon" with the suffix "-ise," which turns a noun into a verb meaning "to make into, or treat as, a thing." The suffix traces back through Late Latin "-izare," borrowed from Greek "-izein," and reached English through Middle French. "Demon" itself comes from Greek "daimōn," a word for a divine or supernatural power that was not necessarily harmful. Only later did "demon" in English come to mean a wicked spirit. Verbs made from it, like "demonise," therefore carry a meaning that narrowed over time from a neutral supernatural presence to a malevolent one.

Synonyms: vilifies, demonizes

Antonyms: exonerates, absolves