delegitimization

noun

The act or process of delegitimizing (delegitimating).

Scrabble 29

Meanings

noundelegitimization (countable and uncountable, plural delegitimizations)

plural delegitimizations

  1. countableuncountableThe act or process of delegitimizing (delegitimating).
    1 more example

    The very existence of these false allegations of rigged and stolen elections erode trust in the democratic process and are also likely to become the norm going forward, [Matt Masterson, who ran election security at the Department of Homeland Security between 2018 to 2020] added, because of a growing “cottage industry of election delegitimization and pre-delegitimization.”

    2021, Ashley Parker, As Trump hints at 2024 comeback, democracy advocates fear a ‘worst-case scenario’ for the country in: The Washington Post, September 28, 2021

    Synonyms: delegitimation · Antonyms: legitimation, legitimisation, legitimization

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe act or process of delegitimizing (delegitimating).

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*de
  2. Proto-Indo-European*déh₁
  3. Proto-Italic*dē
  4. Latindē
  5. Latindē-
  6. Englishde-
  7. Englishlegitimate
  8. Englishlegitimize
  9. Englishlegitimization
  10. Englishdelegitimization

From de- + legitimization.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Dutch delegitimisatie
  • delegitimisatieact of delegitimizing
French délégitimation
  • délégitimationact of delegitimizing
Indonesian delegitimasi
  • delegitimasiact of delegitimizing
Japanese 非合法化
  • 非合法化 (higōhōka)act of delegitimizing
Polish delegitymizacja
  • delegitymizacjaact of delegitimizing
Portuguese deslegitimação
  • deslegitimaçãoact of delegitimizing
Russian делегитимиза́ция
  • делегитимиза́ция (delegitimizácija)act of delegitimizing
Spanish deslegitimación
  • deslegitimaciónact of delegitimizing

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with delegitimization

All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

delegitimization. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/delegitimization

MLA

“delegitimization.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/delegitimization. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “delegitimization,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/delegitimization.

Source: delegitimization on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.