1
as in to humiliate
to make (someone) feel or behave more like an animal than a human being
even three years in a prison camp did not brutalize him
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to abuse
to inflict physical or emotional harm upon
Red Cross workers reported that prisoners had been brutalized
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of brutalize
Heads of foreign intelligence agencies recalled visiting his office and seeing a photograph of Nazi soldiers brutalizing Dagan’s grandfather on the wall.
—
Yossi Melman, ProPublica, 7 Aug. 2025
The Undertaker and Big Boss Man brutalized each other in a Hell in a Cell match.
—Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 5 Aug. 2025
Yes, there is an occasional Abbott Labs , which was brutalized by China, or Netflix , which was challenged by sky-high expectations.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 21 July 2025
Ventura wrapped her testimony nearly a year to the day after CNN published security footage of Combs brutalizing her in a hotel hallway in 2016.
—Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for brutalize
Yossi Melman, ProPublica, 7 Aug. 2025
The Undertaker and Big Boss Man brutalized each other in a Hell in a Cell match.
—Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 5 Aug. 2025
Yes, there is an occasional Abbott Labs , which was brutalized by China, or Netflix , which was challenged by sky-high expectations.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 21 July 2025
Ventura wrapped her testimony nearly a year to the day after CNN published security footage of Combs brutalizing her in a hotel hallway in 2016.
—Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for brutalize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brutalize
Verb
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Lord Lovat is utterly humiliated and this turns out to be a major problem for Brian.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
26 Sep. 2025
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There’s always a moment in which somebody humiliates the villain and now all the love in him is gone.—
Daniel D'Addario,
Variety,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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There were ugly scenes at the Bethpage golf course throughout yesterday’s second day of play as European players, McIlroy in particular, were routinely heckled and abused by rowdy fans, including while standing over shots.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
28 Sep. 2025
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The lawsuit further alleges that the airlines manipulated and abused the arrival rate system at DCA airport to force more arrivals per hour, despite knowing that doing so would reduce safety margins.—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Some of these deportation efforts have been purposefully dehumanizing, like the opening of Alligator Alcatraz.—
William D. Lopez,
Time,
29 Sep. 2025
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The oversimplification of a complex developmental difference that exists on a spectrum of many different abilities and experiences is dehumanizing at best and dangerous at its worst, autism experts, advocacy groups and members of the community told USA TODAY.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
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While a parent will likely need to call administrators if a child is bullied in elementary school, exploring resilience can help teens.—
Anna Halkidis,
Parents,
26 Sep. 2025
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The volumes are introduced by Robinson, who reflects on his experiences being homeless and bullied as a child.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Krishna discovers that Kaliya is living beneath the surface of a local pond and poisoning its waters with his venom.—
Seamus Sullivan
September 29,
Literary Hub,
29 Sep. 2025
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Authorities said Boytsov is also accused of poisoning his wife, who is one of the deceased, with the alcohol.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The era-spanning series covers the AIDS epidemic, showing how the LGBTQ+ community was mistreated.—
Olivia-Anne Cleary,
Time,
30 Sep. 2025
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Rene Gomez, the civic engagement coordinator with the Farmworkers Association of Florida, said many workers who receive H-1B visas are mistreated by their employers through harassment, wage theft, and safety concerns, which are difficult to report because of their immigration status.—
Syra Ortiz Blanes,
Miami Herald,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Anyone who’s in power can barely resist the urge to oppress people with less power.—
Mathew Rodriguez,
Them.,
23 Sep. 2025
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Hamas has terrorized the Israeli people and oppressed the people of Gaza, causing horrific suffering.—
Ben Kelly,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Finney's younger sister Gwen (Madeleine McGraw) is bothered by nightmarish visions of an alpine camp, and the siblings investigate only to discover that the Grabber has found a way to torture from the other side.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
25 Sep. 2025
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Prosecutors said Grimes was beaten to death and tortured, suffering from multiple lacerations to her head, two black eyes, and a broken arm, ribs and nose.—
Christine Pelisek,
PEOPLE,
23 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Brutalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brutalize. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
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