Descontextualizada

Descontextualizada is an adjective used in Spanish and Portuguese to describe something that has been removed from its original context. The term derives from descontextualizar (to decontextualize) and is the feminine form; the masculine form is descontextualizado. It is commonly used in discussions of communication, media, and linguistics to indicate that the surrounding circumstances, setting, or related information have been omitted.

In journalism, academia, and online discourse, descontextualización (Spanish) or descontextualização (Portuguese) refers to presenting quotes, images, data, or arguments without the situational cues that give them intended meaning. This can lead to misinterpretation, manipulation, or the impression that the material supports a claim it does not.

Examples include a quotation extracted from a longer statement, a photograph cropped to remove its setting, or a statistic cited without methodology. Descontextualized items are contrasted with contextualización, the process of reintroducing or clarifying the original context to restore accurate interpretation.

The concept is used as a critical lens in media literacy, ethics, and cultural analysis. It appears across Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking domains and intersects with debates about misinformation, censorship, and interpretive responsibility. In English discourse, the corresponding term is decontextualization, while in Spanish and Portuguese the terms descontextualización/descontextualização are used to describe the noun form of the process.