victimize

verb

vic·​tim·​ize ˈvik-tə-ˌmīz 

victimized; victimizing

transitive verb

1

: to make a victim of

2

: to subject to deception or fraud : cheat

victimization

ˌvik-tə-mə-ˈzā-shən 

noun

victimizer

ˈvik-tə-ˌmī-zər 

noun

Synonyms

• beat
• bilk
• bleed
• cheat
• chisel
• chouse
• con
• cozen
• defraud
• diddle
• do
• do in
• euchre
• fiddle
• fleece
• flimflam
• gaff
• hose [slang]
• hustle
• mulct
• nobble [British slang]
• pluck
• ream
• rip off
• rook
• screw
• shake down
• short
• shortchange
• skin
• skunk
• squeeze
• stick
• stiff
• sting
• sucker
• swindle
• thimblerig

Examples of victimize in a Sentence

They were victimized because of their religion.

victimized by a confidence man with a slick story

Recent Examples on the Web

While the family members themselves aren’t responsible for this atrocity, their presence on the land lends them some complicity as they are victimized by angry ghosts. —Hazlitt, 19 June 2024

The lawsuit accuses Adobe of breaking federal consumer-protection law, and seeks potential refunds and restitution for subscribers, along with unspecified fines and a court order barring the company from allegedly continuing to victimize customers. —Ethan Baron, The Mercury News, 17 June 2024

The material often features celebrities, but it has increasingly been used to victimize girls at middle and high schools around the world. —Kat Tenbarge, NBC News, 17 June 2024

Advocacy groups have asserted that residents' complaints have fallen on deaf ears for years and that city officials have sided with the police unions over those victimized by the police. —Perry Vandell, The Arizona Republic, 13 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1830, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

victimize

verb

vic·​tim·​ize ˈvik-tə-ˌmīz 

victimized; victimizing

: to make a victim of especially by cheating