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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to abuse
to inflict physical or emotional harm upon
Red Cross workers reported that prisoners had been brutalized
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of brutalize
Trump has brutalized the media and is a big reason trust has eroded in the fourth estate.
—
Nolan Finley, Twin Cities, 31 Jan. 2025
Inside the Auschwitz concentration camp complex, the soldiers liberated roughly 7,000 prisoners who had been brutalized by a Nazi regime hell-bent on exterminating the Jewish people.
—Jesse Kirsch, NBC News, 27 Jan. 2025
This regime brutalized and tortured and killed literally hundreds of thousands of innocent Syrians.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
Particularly since the same poisonous influences that brutalized mostly peculiar women 400 years ago are alive and well today.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 21 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brutalize
Nolan Finley, Twin Cities, 31 Jan. 2025
Inside the Auschwitz concentration camp complex, the soldiers liberated roughly 7,000 prisoners who had been brutalized by a Nazi regime hell-bent on exterminating the Jewish people.
—Jesse Kirsch, NBC News, 27 Jan. 2025
This regime brutalized and tortured and killed literally hundreds of thousands of innocent Syrians.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
Particularly since the same poisonous influences that brutalized mostly peculiar women 400 years ago are alive and well today.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 21 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brutalize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brutalize
Verb
-
No, Trump Did Not ‘Bring Back Free Speech’ An August 2024 report by Columbia’s task force on antisemitism found that Jews and Israelis at Columbia were often ostracized and humiliated on campus.—
Solcyré Burga,
TIME,
7 Mar. 2025
-
Committee Chairman James Comer will use the hearing to humiliate blue-city mayors and to please the White House and fire up his extremist MAGA base.—
Peter Cunningham,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Other interview subjects said Prince was abused himself as a child and could be controlling or emotionally manipulative.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
4 Mar. 2025
-
Her defense attorney, Jose Baez, dropped the bombshell accusation that Casey had been abused by her father, implying that this explained her string of lies and her willingness to protect him.—
Aja Romano,
Vox,
4 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The temptation to dehumanize our enemies and label them as animals or insects aids to justify further violence.—
William Lambers,
Newsweek,
7 Mar. 2025
-
The tactics are chillingly familiar: dehumanize immigrants, gaslight millions into dismissing the Jan. 6 insurrection, and relentlessly perpetuate lies to reshape reality.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
28 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
While being black or white may not be inherent to Snape’s character, Potter fans note that this will set up situations like James Potter bullying a young black kid in the ‘70s which are certainly not good optics and totally change the dynamics of the James/Lily/Snape storyline.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes,
8 Mar. 2025
-
The claims range from a prosecutor addressing an attorney by her first name and interfering with witnesses during depositions, to allegations that prosecutors withheld evidence, bullied a witness and engaged in selective prosecution of a mother whose son was shot and killed by police.—
Brittany Wallman,
Miami Herald,
7 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Sergio Pino’s attorney Deanna Shifrin denied the poisoning allegations, pointing to comments Tatiana made in a December 2023 deposition stating that no healthcare provider had concluded she had been poisoned.—
Douglas Hanks,
Miami Herald,
27 Feb. 2025
-
Today sends a message to every cartel leader, every trafficker, every criminal poisoning our communities: You will be held accountable.—
Polo Sandoval,
CNN,
27 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Surasak said they weren’t mistreated, and were fed pita bread and cheese, with a portion of meat once a week.—
Kocha Olarn,
CNN,
21 Feb. 2025
-
During the first Trump administration in 2018, immigration and federal prison officials struck an agreement for 1,600 beds, according to the AP — an arrangement that led to allegations some detainees were mistreated.—
Brittany Gibson,
Axios,
8 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Her work as a writer and the owner of Loudmouth Books is all about offering protection and support to the overlooked and oppressed.—
Justin L. Mack,
Axios,
27 Feb. 2025
-
My piece is about all of the bills being passed to oppress the identities of people who don’t fit into society’s idea of men and women, let alone people outside the gender binary.—
The Learning Network,
New York Times,
16 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
One of Manson's followers, Bobby Beausoleil, was found guilty of torturing and murdering the man who introduced Manson to Wilson, Gary Hinman.—
William Lambers,
Newsweek,
8 Mar. 2025
-
Between January and June 2023, the couple abused and tortured their two children within the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, according to prosecutors.—
Jennifer Rodriguez,
Kansas City Star,
6 Mar. 2025
Articles Related to brutalize
Cite this Entry
“Brutalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brutalize. Accessed 18 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share