verb
- removing or modifying parts of a text considered improper or offensive, especially in an overly cautious way
Usage: present participle of bowdlerize
Examples
- The publisher was bowdlerizing the classic novel to make it suitable for children.
- Critics accused the editor of bowdlerizing Shakespeare’s plays.
- The school board was bowdlerizing textbooks to avoid controversy.
- She objected to bowdlerizing the historical documents.
- The movie studio was bowdlerizing the script to get a lower rating.
- Teachers worried that bowdlerizing literature would diminish its impact.