Standard Lemma guide

depersonalize

verb · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • CMU ARPABET: D IY0 P ER1 S AH0 N AH0 L AY2 Z Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: D IY0 P ER1 S N AH0 L AY2 Z Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To remove a sense of personal identity or individual character from something; to anonymize.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To present (something) as an impersonal object.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To suffer an episode of depersonalization.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Topics: human-sciences, medicine, psychiatry, psychology, sciences

Examples

  • He's depersonalizing right now, so he's considering checking himself into the hospital.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

make impersonal or present as an object

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Will computers depersonalize human interactions?
  • Pornography objectifies women

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: depersonalise, objectify

Antonyms: personalize

Broader terms: change, alter, modify

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *de Proto-Indo-European *-h1 Proto-Indo-European *déh1 Proto-Italic *dē Latin dē Latin dē-der. English de- Middle English personal English personal Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō)bor. Late Latin -izōder. Middle French -iserbor. Middle English -isen English -ize English personalize English depersonalize From de- + personalize.

Across languages

Translations

7 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: despersonalitzar — remove a sense of personal identity from something
  • French: dépersonnaliser — remove a sense of personal identity from something
  • German: depersonalisieren — remove a sense of personal identity from something
  • German: entpersönlichen — remove a sense of personal identity from something
  • Greek: αποπροσωποποιώ (apoprosopopoió) — remove a sense of personal identity from something
  • Italian: spersonalizzare — remove a sense of personal identity from something
  • Portuguese: despersonalizar — remove a sense of personal identity from something