brutalize

1 of 2

verb

bru·​tal·​ize ˈbrü-tᵊl-ˌīz 

brutalized; brutalizing

transitive verb

1

: to make brutal, unfeeling, or inhuman

temperaments brutalized by poverty and disease

2

: to treat brutally

an accord not to brutalize prisoners of war

brutalization

ˌbrü-tᵊl-ə-ˈzā-shən 

noun

brutalization

2 of 2

noun

bru·​tal·​i·​za·​tion ˌbrü-tə-lə-ˈzā-shən 

-ˌlī-ˈzā-

variants also British brutalisation

plural -s

: the act or process of brutalizing : the state of being brutalized

the brutalization that comes from indifference to the hardships of others

—J. R. Ellingston

Synonyms of brutalize

Verb

• humiliate
• dehumanize
• poison

Examples of brutalize in a Sentence

Verb

a young man brutalized by the experience of war

The prisoners claimed to have been brutalized by their captors.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Family Photo The family had fled the Congo after Carine, an activist, was brutalized for speaking out against the ruling regime. —Jim Axelrod, CBS News, 31 May 2026

The Original brutalized El Grande Americano II back inside the ring. —Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026

While Roger Federer is depicted as James Bond, in a tux, elegant and wrinkle-free, Nadal is called Rambo, ripped and relentless, brutalizing the ball and opponents alike. —Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026

Enslaved people were often punished, beaten, or further brutalized for showing emotion, grieving openly or resisting in visible ways. —Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

probably borrowed from French brutaliser, going back to Middle French, from brutal brutal + -iser -ize

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1704, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for brutalize

• advertise
• aggrandize
• alibis
• alkalies
• alkalis
• amortize
• amplifies
• analyse
• analyze
• anywise
• authorize
• butterflies