victimize

UK: /ˈvɪktɪmaɪz/ US: /ˈvɪktəˌmaɪz/ ,(vik′tə mīz′)

Inflections of 'victimize' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

victimizes

v 3rd person singular (US & UK)

victimizing

v pres p (US & UK)

victimized

v past (US & UK)

victimized

v past p (US & UK)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

vic•tim•ize /ˈvɪktəˌmaɪz/   v. [~ + object] , -ized, -iz•ing. 

1. to make a victim of.
2. to swindle or cheat:
   swindlers victimizing the elderly.

vic•tim•i•za•tion /ˌvɪktəməˈzeɪʃən/  n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

vic•tim•ize  (vik′tə mīz′), v.t., -ized, -iz•ing. 

1. to make a victim of.
2. to dupe, swindle, or cheat:
   to victimize poor widows.
3. to slay as or like a sacrificial victim.

Also,[esp. Brit.,] vic′tim•ise′. 

• victim + -ize 1820–30

vic′tim•i•za′tion, n. 
vic′tim•iz′er, n. 
Synonyms

• 2. defraud, fool, hoodwink, beguile. See cheat. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

victimize, victimise / ˈvɪktɪˌmaɪz/ verb (transitive)

1. to punish or discriminate against selectively or unfairly
2. to make a victim of

ˌvictimiˈzation, ˌvictimiˈsation noun

ˈvictimˌizer, ˈvictimˌiser noun