ENGLISH
REFERENCE

abnormalising

v.
C1 Advanced ab·nor·mal·is·ing

v. to make something seem strange or wrong when it is actually normal. You use this when someone tries to change a standard behavior to look like a problem.

v. to represent or treat something as abnormal when it is actually standard or expected. Often used in sociological or psychological contexts to describe the process of pathologizing typical behavior.


SIMPLE

The new rules are abnormalising the way we work.

CONTEXTUAL

By focusing on the small mistakes, the manager was abnormalising the team's performance and causing unnecessary stress.

COMPLEX

The documentary explores how certain cultural practices are abnormalised by outsiders who fail to understand the historical and social context in which they occur.

© 2026 English Reference