Definitions:

1. To ascribe a racial identity to a person, group, or concept, especially when that identity was previously irrelevant or not emphasized, often used in discussions of social structures, media, or power dynamics. VERB
   • Scholars study how economic inequality becomes racialized through systemic biases.
2. To categorize or treat in racial terms. VERB
   • Immigration policies have been racialized in political discourse.
3. To give a racial character to something or to view, represent, or treat people or issues in racial terms, often in ways that emphasize differences or reinforce stereotypes. VERB
   • The media coverage tended to racialize the incident, focusing on the ethnic backgrounds of those involved.

Synonyms:

• ethnicize
• label
• racially categorize
• racially frame
• sterotype