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.
Example Sentences
They disenfranchised poor people by making property ownership a requirement for registering to vote.
Recent Examples on the WebBy keeping the Cincinnati district within Hamilton County and drawing a more-compact district around Franklin County, mapmakers would easily create districts that don't disenfranchise Democrats. Jessie Balmert, The Enquirer, 9 Mar. 2022 The number of laws passed since 2020, folks taking over local elections, and really trying to disenfranchise people through those mechanisms. Benjy Sarlin, NBC News, 5 Aug. 2022 Opponents contend the maps adopted by the Legislature were a gerrymander and disenfranchise a wide swath of Utah voters. Robert Gehrke, The Salt Lake Tribune, 17 Mar. 2022 Did the Republican Legislature just stumble across a unicorn map that happened to effectively disenfranchise a large portion of the state? Robert Gehrke, The Salt Lake Tribune, 23 Mar. 2022 Then there was the lawmaker on the commission who questioned whether poll taxes, levied largely to disenfranchise Black and poor citizens, were racist. Roy S. Johnson | Rjohnson@al.com, al, 17 Mar. 2022 Today, the single-member status quo benefits a party that’s utilized its power in Washington and at the state level to disenfranchise minority voters. Osita Nwanevu, The New Republic, 7 Mar. 2022 For example, planting forests on land that was not previously forested—a growing practice as companies pursue carbon offset credits—can exacerbate food and water scarcity, harm biodiversity, and disenfranchise low-income rural communities. Tim Mcdonnell, Quartz, 28 Feb. 2022 Lawmakers in as many as one in five states have considered legislation to require voters show proof of citizenship – a requirement that drew a federal lawsuit this week and that voting access advocates worry could disenfranchise millions of voters. Rick Rouan, USA TODAY, 8 July 2022 See More