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
Relevance
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
Described as a biting political thriller in the tradition of Wild in the Streets and V for Vendetta, The Hunted is set in a dystopian America where trans people are brutalized and erased to the margins of society.
—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
20 June 2026
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
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
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
20 June 2026
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brutalized
Verb
-
Only the United States was humiliated; both countries have experienced a catastrophic loss.
-
However, they were then humiliated 2-1, after extra time, by second division side Torreense in the final.
Verb
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Many of the children were being abused by adults, according to court records.
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At the time of the first reports, it was indicated that Pitt abused not only Jolie but also some of the older kids.
Verb
-
The Coalition for the Homeless says the city's unhoused are often dehumanized and criminalized.
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In a world that often feels fragmented and dehumanized, reclaiming this universality is an ethical act.
Verb
-
Pluverge, an ice cream maker at Taste the Tropics, came to the United States on asylum after he was kidnapped and tortured by gang members in his home country.
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This is just one in a sweaty dungeon of hundreds of TikTok videos that show women being stalked, grabbed, tortured, tossed to the ground, and handcuffed by scary masked soldiers.
Verb
-
If a pet is poisoned by a cane toad, there are some warning signs.
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The summer blockbuster, which premieres June 26, will follow Supergirl's three-day mission to obtain a cure for her superdog and friend, Krypto, who is poisoned by villainous alien Krem of the Yellow Hills (Matthias Schoenaerts).
Verb
-
Because he was being completely bullied and demeaned and excused.
-
In a pluralistic democracy of free citizens, true leadership cannot be bought, bullied, or beaten into people.
Cite this Entry
“Brutalized.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brutalized. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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