: to represent (something) as human : to attribute human qualities to (something)
Much as we try, we can't stop humanizing our horses. Jeffrey Kluger
b
: to address or portray (someone) in a way that emphasizes that person's humanity or individuality
My goal, long before my father ever became homeless, was to humanize those who lived on the streets. Diana Kim
c(1)
: to include or increase human interaction in (something, such as a process or place)
[Stan] Lowe said he's proud of the increased use of alternative-dispute resolution for the type of complaint that can be informally resolved between an officer and a member of the public. … "It humanizes the experience from both perspectives. It really does repair a relationship, but you're doing it one relationship at a time." Louise Dickson
(2)
: to adapt (something) to human nature or use
In this period of rapid change, the city began putting money back into the neighborhood. Over time, there was a conscious effort to invest in humanizing the landscape, including the reinstallation of the now-famous seven steel arches and street trees. Kaylee Harter and Shanti Lerner
The fact is, cats play different predatory roles in different natural and humanized landscapes. William S. Lynn
Lincoln forged a new lean language to humanize and redeem the first modern war. Gary Wills
3
a
: to cause (a nonhuman organism or one of its parts) to include components (such as cells, tissues, or genes) of human origin or to produce human substances or components (such as insulin)
It's OK to mess with a creature's "simple" parts—the plumbing in its gut, let's say—but we're risking moral crisis when we start to humanize its neural tissue. Daniel Engber
But other forms of humanized mice, such as mice engineered to have a human immune system, are routine laboratory animals that seem to occasion little angst. Nicholas Wade
These "humanized" cells were then removed and cloned with tumor cells to make a cell line that produced pure human monoclonal antibodies, the researchers said. Warren E. Leary
b
: to modify (a nonhuman antibody) by genetic engineering to contain mainly human protein sequences
Monoclonals are made by cultivating antibody-producing cells in the immune system of mice, extracting them from the animals' spleen, and then going through an elaborate process to "humanize" the antibodies to avoid immune reactions in human patients. Gary Stix
We're using mice to make humanized antibodies that produce cancer drugs. William Saletan
The new publicity has helped to humanize the corporation's image. They promised to humanize conditions at the company.
Recent Examples on the WebKarim and his brothers are the movie’s main characters, but Jérôme matters too, helping to humanize the disciplined yet fallible people trying to keep the peace. Peter Debruge, Variety, 2 Sep. 2022 For his latest project in Phoenix, the 22-year muralist is using a simple street art style to humanize the problem of gun violence. Jose R. Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 13 Aug. 2022 Here's a more formal take on neutral bedroom design: Victoria Hagan incorporated plenty of textiles to soften and humanize the scale of the space. Hadley Mendelsohn, House Beautiful, 29 July 2022 That leaves Jill with the tricky task of veering into more political territory than her many of her predecessors, by trying to humanize her husband’s political agenda.Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2022 In education, such stability probably serves to humanize what could otherwise become a relentlessly competitive and restrictive system. Peter Hessler, The New Yorker, 27 Dec. 2021 The story lines are what humanize the competition and with the group that will be assembled at The Country Club, there is much to embrace. Jim Mccabe, BostonGlobe.com, 18 June 2022 For instance, the gang of kids helps humanize the conflict and show that Doan left Zeon to protect and care for them. Ollie Barder, Forbes, 6 June 2022 That angle marks a change of pace from earlier tech biopics like The Social Network and Steve Jobs, which sought to humanize and glorify its subjects while also acknowledging their colder, more callous tendencies. Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Feb. 2022 See More