disenfranchise
verb
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What Does It Mean to Disenfranchise Someone?
Disenfranchise first appeared in English in the 17th century, preceded for a period of some 200 years by the now uncommon word disfranchise. Though both words are, rather obviously, related to franchise, they have nothing to do with that word’s current sense “a team that is a member of a professional sports league." The original meaning of franchise was “freedom from servitude or restraint.” Although disenfranchise does broadly signify depriving someone of any of a number of legal rights, it is most often used today of withholding the right to vote, or of the diminished social or political status of a marginalized group.
Examples of disenfranchise in a Sentence
Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 18 Mar. 2024
A lot of people are disenfranchised by the fraud allegations.
—Antonia Hitchens, The New Yorker, 24 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for disenfranchise 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'disenfranchise.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near disenfranchise
Cite this Entry
“Disenfranchise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disenfranchise. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
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disenfranchise
verb
Legal Definition
disenfranchise
transitive verb
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