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Glite Dictionary
🚫 To remove sexual content 🧬 To make infertile
to desexualize

to desexualize

1 9.2
To remove sexual meaning from people or objects
  • verb
  • /ˌdiːˈsɛkʃuˌəlaɪz/
  • US
translation icon : desexualizar
  • When homosexual mythological themes did appear, they were either heterosexualized or desexualized.

Examples

  • So in some senses people are trying to kind of desexualize nipples.

  • Do everything in your power to desexualize yourself.

    The Change-Up (2011)

  • It's also possible to desexualize clothing.

    Blog text (22)

  • So in some senses people are trying to kind of desexualize nipples.

  • I've always told myself that I dress for comfort, but lately I've realized that for me, comfort means hiding and therefore desexualizing my body.

    Blog text (15)

  • We have seen that the novel presents El Cardenal as the stereotypical gay man depicted in Sedgwick's study: feminized, domesticated, and desexualized.

    Academic text (1997)

  • Many people choose to desexualize their online profiles to create a more professional image.

  • Some fashion designers aim to desexualize their collections by using more modest cuts and colors.

  • The campaign sought to desexualize advertisements by focusing on functionality rather than attractiveness.

Synonyms

to unsex
vsto desexualize
  • Archaic
1 9.9

To remove sexual parts or qualities from a living thing

suppresses sexual desires and content instead of removing physical characteristics

Antonyms

to sexualize
  • NSFW
13 7.5

To make people think of someone or something in terms of sex

How Sexualized

to sexualize
  • NSFW
13 7.5
to desexualize
  • US
1 9.2

Surface Forms

desexualize infinitive
desexualized past
desexualized past participle
desexualizing present participle
desexualizes third person singular

Morphology

desexualize = sexualize (transparent) = de + sexual + ize

The prefix 'de-' straightforwardly signals removing or reversing the sexualizing effect expressed by 'sexualize'.

Etymology

Desexualize comes from de- 'remove' (as in defrost), sexual 'relating to sex', and -ize 'make' (as in realize). So, to desexualize is to 'make something non-sexual' or to remove sexual features or feelings.