BRUTALIZING Synonyms: 78 Similar and Opposite Words

brutalizing

verb

present participle of brutalize

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in abusing

to inflict physical or emotional harm upon Red Cross workers reported that prisoners had been brutalized

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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 brutalizing Each competitor was giving it their all with brutalizing chops, tough suplexes and going above and beyond to try to win that championship. — Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 15 July 2026 The same curriculum includes Prophet Muhammed’s history of brutalizing Christians and Jewish people — a framing that Muslim families and interfaith advocates found issue with in public comment. — Rachel Royster. Produced With Ai Assistance, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 July 2026 While Roger Federer is depicted as James Bond, in a tux, elegant and wrinkle-free, Nadal is called Rambo, ripped and relentless, brutalizing the ball and opponents alike. — Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for brutalizing

Verb

My book was meant to highlight both the personal and societal issues of early literacy deprivation, while tracking the prescient issue of increasing screen time dumbing down and dehumanizing society.

— Liza Lentini, SPIN, 21 July 2026
His followers responded with a steady stream of invective, describing Atkin and Jammi in misogynistic and, at times, dehumanizing language.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 June 2026

Definition of dehumanizing

Verb

The woman Morris was convicted of abusing, Cindy Clemishire, has filed a $1 million defamation suit against Morris, the church, former and current elders, and a former church employee in Dallas County.

— Giles Hudson, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026
One of them, a shorter, bearded man with a nose reddened and swollen from years of abusing liquor, gave a low whistle.

— Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 31 July 2026

Definition of abusing

Verb

The Iranians are now setting the terms of this conflict and are routinely humiliating the American president.

— Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026
Instead of demanding personal fealty or humiliating them to assert personal dominance, Lincoln absorbed their egos and occasional slights, elevating their talents and turning his fiercest political adversaries into his most devoted champions.

— Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 24 June 2026

Definition of humiliating

Verb

Chilean prosecutors believe Ojeda died while his captors were torturing him to get information about the Venezuelan political opposition.

— Sebastian Rotella, ProPublica, 10 July 2026
In addition to its prior ties to al-Qaeda, HTS has been accused by the UN and other organizations of human rights abuses against women and children, as well as torturing and executing detainees.

— Connor Greene, Time, 8 July 2026

Definition of torturing

Verb

In the past farmers have been suspected of deliberately poisoning elephants to prevent them from eating crops.

— ABC News, ABC News, 29 July 2026
Historically used in dry cleaning or to degrease metal parts, the chemicals leaked into the base’s wells, poisoning the drinking water.

— WUFT News, Miami Herald, 29 July 2026

Definition of poisoning

Verb

His distance from Henry was painfully emphasized when his son got in trouble for bullying another classmate, and the idea of Michelle (Andrea Anders) getting engaged to someone else sent him into a tailspin.

— Rachel LaBonte, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Aug. 2026
One dad who recently found out his child was engaged in bullying activity took to Reddit to share his experience.

— Christian Dashiell, Parents, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of bullying

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brutalizes

brutalizing

brutally

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“Brutalizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brutalizing. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of brutalizing

verb

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