1. treating someone as if they are a child or incapable of mature thought or behavior
Usage: often used to describe condescending behavior

1. present participle of infantilize: to treat someone as if they are a child or incapable of mature behavior
Usage: gerund form

Examples

• The manager’s infantilizing tone made the employees feel disrespected.
• She found her parents’ infantilizing behavior frustrating as an adult.
• The teacher avoided infantilizing her students by treating them as capable individuals.
• His infantilizing comments during the meeting were inappropriate.
• The documentary criticized the infantilizing portrayal of elderly people in media.
• Stop infantilizing me – I can make my own decisions.
• The policy was seen as infantilizing to working parents.