WordGarden.iosodomize
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /sˈɒdəmˌaɪz/
US
- /ˈsɔdəˌmaɪz/
Meanings
Verb
to penetrate someone anally, often with an implication of force or abuse
to violate, brutalize, or ruin someone or something in a harsh way; an offensive figurative extension of a sexual-violation term
Beyond the definition
The word "sodomize" is an extremely sensitive and offensive term. In modern English, it usually means to force anal sex on someone, so it is most often tied to rape or severe sexual assault. In older or legal use, it can also refer more broadly to anal sex, but in everyday use it usually sounds violent, graphic, and deeply harmful. People also sometimes use it as a crude metaphor for brutal mistreatment or extreme exploitation, but that use is still very harsh because the word keeps its link to sexual violence.
"Sodomize" is a very strong and offensive word with a long legal and religious history. In current use, it most often means to force anal sex on someone, so it commonly refers to a form of rape or severe sexual assault. In some older, formal, or legal contexts, the word has been used more broadly for anal sex, sometimes even without the idea of force, but that wider use is much less common in ordinary speech today. Because of this, most people now hear the word as violent, graphic, and closely tied to abuse.
The word is linked by origin to "sodomy," a term shaped by older religious and legal ideas connected with Sodom in the Bible. But modern meaning should not be reduced to that story alone. What matters in present-day English is that the word usually points to sexual violation, not just to a general idea of "immorality" or taboo sex.
The word also appears in rough metaphorical speech. Someone may use it to describe extreme exploitation, humiliation, or a crushing defeat. Even there, the image is still one of violent violation, so the metaphor remains very harsh. For example, a speaker might say that a company "sodomized" a smaller rival or a local market to stress how destructive and unfair the outcome was.
Context is critical. Even when the word is used as a metaphor, it still carries the shock of sexual violence. Using it casually, jokingly, or as a loose synonym for "treated badly" can sound deeply offensive and can be painful for survivors of assault. It is generally avoided in polite, educational, and professional settings unless the discussion clearly requires direct and careful wording.
Examples
- 1
Prison report
The report said the prisoner had been sodomized by another inmate.
- Caution
This word is harsh and is mostly used in legal, historical, or quoted language.
- 2
Criminal charge
He was charged with sodomizing the victim during the assault.
- 3
Historical record
The historian left the word sodomized in the translation because it appeared in the original court record.
See also
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- sodomizeverb