1
as in humiliated
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 abused
to inflict physical or emotional harm upon
Red Cross workers reported that prisoners had been brutalized
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of brutalized
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
Nikitin was drugged and brutalized by his captors in the Soviet psychiatric prisons.
—David Folkenflik, NPR, 15 Apr. 2026
However, human rights groups say migrants are being brutalized and pushed back illegally at EU borders, while legal protections are increasingly being hollowed out.
—Sam McNeil, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026
At night, Yusuf goes back to his village, where his family is regularly brutalized by the local authorities, led by the snarling protomillenarian Captain Wingate (played by Robert Aramayo, whom some will recognize as the young actor who scored an upset win at the BAFTAs last month for I Swear).
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026
Yes, that same night, beyond the hallowed walls of Prescott’s, people all across New York were being brutalized by HIV, falling dead from AIDS.
—Literary Hub, 17 Mar. 2026
In New York, guards who brutalized prisoners or covered it up were rarely fired.
—Katie Moore, Kansas City Star, 12 Mar. 2026
Ayatollah Khamenei led a regime that brutalized its own people, launched attacks around the world for almost 40 years.
—ABC News, 1 Mar. 2026
Please join me in praying for US service members, our allies, and the innocent Iranian population that has been brutalized for decades.
—Twumasi Duah-Mensah, Charlotte Observer, 28 Feb. 2026
Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 May 2026
Nikitin was drugged and brutalized by his captors in the Soviet psychiatric prisons.
—David Folkenflik, NPR, 15 Apr. 2026
However, human rights groups say migrants are being brutalized and pushed back illegally at EU borders, while legal protections are increasingly being hollowed out.
—Sam McNeil, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026
At night, Yusuf goes back to his village, where his family is regularly brutalized by the local authorities, led by the snarling protomillenarian Captain Wingate (played by Robert Aramayo, whom some will recognize as the young actor who scored an upset win at the BAFTAs last month for I Swear).
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026
Yes, that same night, beyond the hallowed walls of Prescott’s, people all across New York were being brutalized by HIV, falling dead from AIDS.
—Literary Hub, 17 Mar. 2026
In New York, guards who brutalized prisoners or covered it up were rarely fired.
—Katie Moore, Kansas City Star, 12 Mar. 2026
Ayatollah Khamenei led a regime that brutalized its own people, launched attacks around the world for almost 40 years.
—ABC News, 1 Mar. 2026
Please join me in praying for US service members, our allies, and the innocent Iranian population that has been brutalized for decades.
—Twumasi Duah-Mensah, Charlotte Observer, 28 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brutalized
Verb
-
This Mets team, with the second-highest MLB payroll at $369 million, had just been humiliated by a franchise that lost 119 games a year ago.—
Joe Kinsey OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
-
One such accusation resulted in a federal lawsuit filed in September in which the former head of the Colorado Division for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing and DeafBlind alleged DHS management humiliated and discriminated against him before forcing him out of his job.—
Katie Langford,
Denver Post,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Vinicius Jr had alleged that Prestianni had racially abused him, which Prestianni denied on social media.—
Dan Sheldon,
New York Times,
6 May 2026
-
During opening statements in her trial on Tuesday, May 5, prosecutors said Lauren Maloberti abused and neglected the boy and failed to seek prompt medical treatment as his condition deteriorated, according to TribLive and WTAE.—
Staff Author,
PEOPLE,
6 May 2026
Verb
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The Coalition for the Homeless says the city's unhoused are often dehumanized and criminalized.—
Jennifer Bisram,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
-
In a world that often feels fragmented and dehumanized, reclaiming this universality is an ethical act.—
Ed Meza,
Variety,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Barahona and his wife, Carmen, beat and tortured the twins, tying them with electrical cord and shocking them in a bathtub with the door locked, investigators said.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
6 May 2026
-
The expression on Moss-Bachrach’s face is tortured and tired, like just thinking about this awful day with Mikey took time off his life — and then, another awful thing.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
5 May 2026
Verb
-
Who cares about the fact that her friend cheated when her child was poisoned by her husband and her father?—
Arushi Jacob,
Variety,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Weinstein’s lawyers have argued that his New York conviction last year was poisoned by bad blood among jurors.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Before competing on Big Brother season 24, Hale won Miss Michigan USA and Miss Congeniality in Miss USA 2021, which became a point of contention when her fellow competitors bullied her for coming off as too much of a pageant queen.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
6 May 2026
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Awoniyi and Jesus jointly bullied Tosin and Chalobah whenever Forest kicked long.—
Simon Johnson,
New York Times,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Brutalized.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brutalized. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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