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
But the women who were brutalized, and the community, deserve better.
—
Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 26 Jan. 2026
There isn’t much consistency to the rule, nor much logic to the fact that bystanders seem to turn a blind eye as the boys are continually brutalized.
—Natalia Winkelman, IndieWire, 24 Jan. 2026
How about the Hollywood know-nothings Susan Sarandon or Mark Ruffalo, who have so much to say about the suffering of Hamas terrorists but not a peep for people being brutalized and murdered by actual terrorists?
—Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 8 Jan. 2026
The series explores death in ways that are almost unique to commercial television, without losing sight of the audience’s need not to be needlessly brutalized.
—David Faris, TheWeek, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brutalize
Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 26 Jan. 2026
There isn’t much consistency to the rule, nor much logic to the fact that bystanders seem to turn a blind eye as the boys are continually brutalized.
—Natalia Winkelman, IndieWire, 24 Jan. 2026
How about the Hollywood know-nothings Susan Sarandon or Mark Ruffalo, who have so much to say about the suffering of Hamas terrorists but not a peep for people being brutalized and murdered by actual terrorists?
—Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 8 Jan. 2026
The series explores death in ways that are almost unique to commercial television, without losing sight of the audience’s need not to be needlessly brutalized.
—David Faris, TheWeek, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brutalize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brutalize
Verb
-
At one point at the table, Jane ran a fork down the side of Robert's face, leaving red lines, humiliating him.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Days after the segment was recorded, Schmitz shot Amedure to death, then confessed to the murder, saying he'd been humiliated on national TV.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Videos and photos seized from Epstein's homes in New York, Florida and the Virgin Islands didn't depict victims being abused or implicate anyone else in his crimes, a prosecutor wrote in one 2025 memo.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
9 Feb. 2026
-
At least two women who were prostituted and abused by Epstein and his clients had Colorado connections.—
Noelle Phillips,
Denver Post,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In a chilling pattern, there are systematic efforts to sow disinformation, hate speech, and dehumanizing images in areas where militants want to carry out operations.—
Christine Ro,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
To mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day is to remember what inevitably happens when dehumanizing language goes unchallenged.—
Bernard Cherkasov,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In 2021, the mother of one of Asher Vann’s friends accused him of bullying her son and began a social media campaign against him.—
Jane Harper,
Dallas Morning News,
7 Feb. 2026
-
The young boy then has to navigate being 10 and being bullied, having crushes on girls, all while older siblings Yvette (Essence Atkins) and Marcus (Jason Weaver) cringe at the thought of him being at the same high school.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
He was also sanctioned by the European Union in January 2019 following a nerve agent attack in Salisbury, England, which the British government said was carried out by GRU agents to poison a former Russian spy.—
CNN's Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Children have been among those poisoned this year.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The Rafah border crossing, meant to support the ceasefire, has seen minimal passage and reports of Palestinians being interrogated and mistreated.—
Wafaa Shurafa,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Many Cuban Americans were mistreated and would probably like to return.—
Moriah Thomas,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
With many people around the world fighting for their freedom, Dallas’ historical cemetery stands as an example of how a group of people who were historically oppressed and enslaved could become free and prosperous.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
31 Jan. 2026
-
The resultant impunity means people turn to alternative structures for protection, from vigilantes to the very criminals that oppress them.—
Obi Anyadike,
semafor.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
For years he was tortured, and finally released in 1973.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Feb. 2026
-
He’s not tortured in any way — the only person that’s holding him back is himself.—
Leigh Nordstrom,
Footwear News,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Brutalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brutalize. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
