objectify

verb

ob·​jec·​ti·​fy əb-ˈjek-tə-ˌfī 

objectified; objectifying

transitive verb

1

: to treat as an object or cause to have objective reality

They believe that beauty pageants objectify women.

2

: to give expression to (something, such as an abstract notion, feeling, or ideal) in a form that can be experienced by others

It is the essence of the fairy tale to objectify differing facets of the child's emotional experience …

—John Updike

objectification

əb-ˌjek-tə-fə-ˈkā-shən 

noun

Examples of objectify in a Sentence

She says beauty pageants objectify women.

Recent Examples on the Web

Somehow, through a nauseating cascade of increasingly grotesque distortions of the human form, the movie morphs into a meaningful satire on society's stance that older women are irrelevant—blowing a kiss into the camera at the genre's past tendency to objectify female characters. —Ars Technica, 23 Dec. 2024

In recent years, fans have been vocal in their desire to see Anderson receive more respect for her acting career amid complaints that she’s been objectified and overlooked earlier in her career. —Alli Rosenbloom, CNN, 9 Dec. 2024

The animators did a really good job of interpreting it and objectifying it. —Ryan Fleming, Deadline, 6 Dec. 2024

Gaga refused to be pigeonholed as an artist, or objectified as a woman in pop. —Kristen S. Hé, Vulture, 25 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

object entry 1 + -ify

First Known Use

circa 1837, in the meaning defined at sense 1