marginalised

IPA/ˈmɑː.dʒɪ.nəl.aɪz/
IPA/ˈmɑːr.dʒɪ.nəl.aɪz/

marginalised — verb

  • marginalisedpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • marginaliseds3rd person singular
  • marginaliseding-ing form
  • marginalisededpast simple

1. to push a person or group to the edge of society's mainstream, making it hard fo

1.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to push a person or group to the edge of society's mainstream, making it hard for them to share power, take part in decisions, or get the same opportunities as others

Example

For many years, women were marginalised in the film industry and rarely directed major films.

passive: be marginalised in [field/industry]

The government's new housing policy marginalised poor families by building only expensive apartments.

active: marginalise [group] by [action]

Common collocations
  • feel marginalised
  • be marginalised by society
  • marginalised community
  • marginalised group
  • marginalised people
  • become marginalised
  • marginalised within
Synonyms
  • exclude

    stronger; means deliberately leaving someone out rather than pushing to the edges

  • sideline

    less formal; focuses on keeping someone away from decision-making

  • ostracise

    stronger; implies total social rejection by a community

  • alienate

    focuses on making someone feel isolated or unfriendly

Antonyms
  • include

    opposite action — to let someone join and take part fully

  • empower

    opposite effect — to give someone power and confidence to participate

Grammar Patterns

be marginalised by [agent]

marginalise [someone]

Usage Note

Usually passive — the focus is on the group affected, not the person or body doing the marginalising. The active form (e.g. 'The policy marginalised…') is used when you want to name the cause directly. Distinguish from sense 1: this is the only sense.

Common Mistakes

The new rule marginalised the importance of local knowledge.
The new rule marginalised the people who had local knowledge.
marginalise acts on people or groups, not on abstract things like ideas or qualities.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four words describe keeping someone out of full participation, but they differ in degree and focus. 'Marginalise' is the broadest — it refers to pushing a group to the edges of society, often through systems and institutions rather than deliberate individual acts. 'Exclude' is more direct and often intentional: you are simply left out. 'Sideline' is less formal and refers to being kept away from the centre of activity or decision-making, as when a colleague is not invited to important meetings. 'Alienate' focuses on the emotional result: someone feels isolated or estranged. 'Ostracise' is the strongest — it means a community actively rejects a person and refuses to interact with them. Example: A policy that fails to fund transport in rural areas marginalises the elderly; if neighbours refuse to speak to someone over a disagreement, they ostracise them.

exclude ↗sidelinealienate ↗ostracise

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • feel marginalised
  • become marginalised
  • remain marginalised

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

From 'margin' (the blank edge of a page), which comes from Latin 'margo' meaning 'edge' or 'border'. The suffix '-al' turns 'margin' into an adjective ('relating to the edge'), and '-ise' creates a verb meaning 'to make or put at the edge'. The modern sense of pushing people to the edges of society developed in the mid-20th century in sociology and political discourse.