trivialize

Trivialize means to cause something to appear unimportant or insignificant, as in Gabe tried to trivialize the D he got in math, but his parents still grounded him.

Trivialize is a verb form of the adjective trivial. It’s often used by the person being trivialized, rather than by the person doing the trivializing.

Example: Do not trivialize the effort that was put into my project.

The first records of the term trivialize come from the mid-1800s. It combines the term trivial, meaning “commonplace” or “unimportant,” and the suffix –ize, which creates verbs with a general meaning of “to render, make,” as in actualize and Americanize. Trivial originally comes from a combination of Latin words that mean “at the street corner.”

When something is important to someone, anything that tries to lessen that importance can seem like trivializing, but trivialization is actually very deliberate and takes effort to do. When someone trivializes your efforts, for example, they usually do so by lying about something or pointing out insignificant facts that tarnish the quality or nature of your effort.

Sometimes, though, people can trivialize something without realizing it. For example, many classic Hollywood Westerns trivialize the struggles of the Native Americans. We don’t realize until later than we’ve diminished something that was important to another person.

What are some other forms related to trivialize? 

• trivialization (noun)

What are some synonyms for trivialize?

• dismiss
• minimize
• undervalue
• underestimate

What are some words that share a root or word element with trivialize? 

• trivial
• trivialism
• triviality

What are some words that often get used in discussing trivialize?

• effort
• importance
• lessen
• misunderstood
• problem

Trivialize is commonly used to describe something that is dismissed as a negative.

Funny how people rush to judgement so quickly they can’t accept when the truth comes out so they sensationalize a lie and trivialize the truth.

— Richard Sherman (@RSherman_25) May 17, 2018

Mental health. Depression. Anxiety. Bipolar Disorder. PTSD. Schizophrenia. Etc. These are not just made up concepts. Don't belittle, trivialize, or put down people who experience real struggles you simply can't see or comprehend. Educate yourself and look after your fellow man.

— Joedat (@Voyboy) December 8, 2018

Don't trivialize. Don't name call. Don't insult. Firmly let your fellow citizens know you stand 4 humanity & harm reduction.

— Adam Savage (@donttrythis) January 29, 2017

True or False?

Laughing at someone else’s misfortune trivializes any pain they’re feeling.