1
as in dehumanizing
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 abusing
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 brutalizing
Euthanasia decisions are already brutalizing for dog owners, and those decisions may become even more fraught.
—
Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 2 May 2026
The charge comes as some advocates and community members have clamored for Illinois officials to pursue criminal cases against immigration agents who have been accused of brutalizing city and suburban residents during their 64-day Operation Midway Blitz in the fall.
—Madeline Buckley, Chicago Tribune, 24 Jan. 2026
Art the Clown likes brutalizing women.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 7 Nov. 2025
He was fired a few years later over allegations of brutalizing a suspect in custody.
—Omar Jimenez, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2025
Lesnar, who returned with a violent message on SmackDown, made his intentions clear by brutalizing Cena and issuing the challenge.
—Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Sep. 2025
Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 2 May 2026
The charge comes as some advocates and community members have clamored for Illinois officials to pursue criminal cases against immigration agents who have been accused of brutalizing city and suburban residents during their 64-day Operation Midway Blitz in the fall.
—Madeline Buckley, Chicago Tribune, 24 Jan. 2026
Art the Clown likes brutalizing women.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 7 Nov. 2025
He was fired a few years later over allegations of brutalizing a suspect in custody.
—Omar Jimenez, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2025
Lesnar, who returned with a violent message on SmackDown, made his intentions clear by brutalizing Cena and issuing the challenge.
—Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brutalizing
Verb
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In particular, when politicians use demonizing or dehumanizing rhetoric to attack their opponents— for example, using words that depict their opponents as subhuman— this fosters extremism and helps motivate extremists to hurt their opponents physically.—
James Piazza,
Twin Cities,
30 Apr. 2026
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Social media posts and comments showed an increasing use of dehumanizing language toward Muslims.—
Anisah Bagasra,
The Conversation,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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According to a Reddit post from the company and a spokesperson, the Spectrum emails are legit and are part of the FBI’s effort to crack down on Russian hackers abusing 23 TP-Link router models.—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
30 Apr. 2026
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He was accused of abusing boys, a charge that went unproven but sullied his reputation in Europe.—
Amanda Rosa
Updated April 28,
Miami Herald,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In her report, Soto accused Sibrian of allegedly mocking and humiliating her for her accent, immigration status and race and calling her stupid.—
Rachel McRady,
PEOPLE,
1 May 2026
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State caseworkers have sent an untold number of elders in their care to a coterie of homes with a history of hurting, ignoring or humiliating their residents, records and anguished families say.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Barahona has been behind bars since March 2011 after being accused of killing of 10-year-old Nubia Barahona and torturing her twin brother Victor.—
Grethel Aguila,
Sun Sentinel,
6 May 2026
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The coastal Georgia man arrested in 2018 and accused of torturing, killing and burying his two teenage children in the backyard of the family’s mobile home will spend the rest of his life behind bars after reaching a plea deal.—
Adam Van Brimmer,
AJC.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The young woman who sojourned to Oberlin College, where she was wrongfully accused of poisoning her classmates and beaten half to death, who raised her hands in defense of herself, then went on to grip clay and rock and chisel to re-create visions of justice.—
Tyehimba Jess,
ARTnews.com,
17 Apr. 2026
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Protesters, however, say that HERC, which neighbors Target Field near the North Loop neighborhood, is responsible for essentially poisoning people who live nearby.—
Conor Wight,
CBS News,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Baldwin will play the mayor of the town and Rose, who founded anti-cyber-bullying platform Babes Against Bullying, his daughter.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
8 May 2026
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Scott Rudin, who was the subject of allegations of bullying that provoked an industry reckoning on abusive workplace behavior in 2021, is a producer on the revival, which has become one of the unmissable events of the season.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Brutalizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brutalizing. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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