1. portrayed as evil or threatening; made to seem like a demon or villain
Usage: past tense and past participle of ‘demonize’

Examples

• The media demonized the politician after the scandal broke.
• Video games have been unfairly demonized by some parents and critics.
• The opposing team’s fans demonized our star player throughout the season.
• She felt demonized by her former colleagues after whistleblowing.
• The new policy demonized certain groups in society.
• Historical figures are often either glorified or demonized by later generations.