kleineren

Kleinen is a Dutch verb meaning to belittle, degrade, or depreciate someone, typically through speech or behavior that makes the person seem smaller or less important. The action is usually intentional, but it can also occur through careless or dismissive remarks. It is commonly used to describe social dynamics such as condescension, sarcasm, or patronizing judgments directed at another person or group.

Etymology and sense development: the verb is built from the adjective klein meaning small, with the productive suffix -eren to form a verb. The literal sense of making something small has extended metaphorically to reducing a person’s status, credibility, or dignity. The word is established in contemporary Dutch and appears in both spoken and written language.

Usage and context: kleineren is a transitive verb that takes a direct object, for example with iemand (someone) or een groep (a group). It is generally negative in tone and is frequently discussed in contexts such as workplace behavior, education, media, and social psychology. Researchers and journalists may analyze kleineren as a form of bullying, harassment, discrimination, or moral disengagement, sometimes alongside related phenomena such as demeaning language or microaggressions.

Variants and related terms: synonyms or near-synonyms include degraderen and minachten, though each carries its own nuance. The term is used across formal and informal registers, but it is typically reserved for morally or ethically critical descriptions of social interaction.

See also: bullying, harassment, demeaning language, social psychology.