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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to abuse
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
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Recent Examples of brutalize
He was physically and mentally brutalized by a sociopathic father.
—
Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 16 Jan. 2025
Those who have been brutalized shall brutalize others in turn.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 18 Dec. 2024
On the page, Serafina is an archetypical Williams heroine — a woman who feels the world too deeply and is therefore brutalized by its harsh truths and petty cruelties (e.g. Maggie the Cat, Blanche DuBois, Amanda Wingfield).
—Ew Staff, EW.com, 2 Mar. 2025
The Fed’s aggressive rate hikes brutalized any poor soul lugging a big balance.
—Nerdwallet, Twin Cities, 27 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brutalize
Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 16 Jan. 2025
Those who have been brutalized shall brutalize others in turn.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 18 Dec. 2024
On the page, Serafina is an archetypical Williams heroine — a woman who feels the world too deeply and is therefore brutalized by its harsh truths and petty cruelties (e.g. Maggie the Cat, Blanche DuBois, Amanda Wingfield).
—Ew Staff, EW.com, 2 Mar. 2025
The Fed’s aggressive rate hikes brutalized any poor soul lugging a big balance.
—Nerdwallet, Twin Cities, 27 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brutalize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brutalize
Verb
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There was a period when Broadway creators thought the only way to get a performance was to humiliate a person.—
Mark Seliger,
Vulture,
7 Apr. 2025
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An investigation of at least eight fraternities found that members humiliated students through means like beating them with paddles or forcing potential recruits to eat live fish and drink urine, according to court filings.—
Dan Belson,
Baltimore Sun,
3 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Authorities subsequently found that the boy and Ruby's 10-year-old daughter had been seriously abused.—
Liam Quinn,
People.com,
28 Mar. 2025
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Kevin Franke, the father of the children abused by Hildebrandt and his ex-wife, has advocated for more oversight of life coaches since the two women were sent to prison.—
Jessica Schreifels,
ProPublica,
27 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Human smuggling is dehumanizing.—
Pilar Arias,
Fox News,
19 Mar. 2025
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Writing in the early twentieth century, the sociologist Max Weber saw bureaucracy as dehumanizing, a coldly rational deprivation of human freedom.—
Charlie Tyson,
The New Yorker,
15 Mar. 2025
Verb
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With his carry-on bag, his ID and medication inside, now with the DEA, David had no choice but to step off the plane and was eventually bullied into permitting a search of his bag.—
Andrew Wimer,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
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In the novel and subsequent film adaptation, Sue initially joins in bullying Carrie but later decides to try to befriend her.—
Joe Otterson,
Variety,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Until Henry momentarily excuses himself from the table, that is, and the person or persons behind these winky-wink messages tell her to poison Henry ASAP or the menacing guy currently hiding in her apartment will kill her boy.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
10 Apr. 2025
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Calls to poison control centers for pediatric melatonin ingestion increased 530 percent between 2012 and 2021, according to one analysis published by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
8 Apr. 2025
Verb
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But Lively did believe she had been harassed and mistreated on set, the filing claims, making the defamation accusation false.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA TODAY,
20 Mar. 2025
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Michael also claimed in an episode that he was manipulated and mistreated by his former wife.—
Lynsey Eidell,
People.com,
19 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Lopakhin and Varya are pushed together throughout the play, but poor Varya, also born working class, will never be able to break through the part of Lopakhin that still idolizes the very nobility that oppressed his family for generations.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
4 Apr. 2025
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The trial for Morteza Amiri and Devon Wenger will test the government’s contention that the two men used the power of their badges to intimidate, injure and oppress the people of the city they were supposed to serve.—
Nate Gartrell,
The Mercury News,
3 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The six defendants allegedly began holding a man against his will on March 14 and proceeded to torture him at a Red Roof Inn in Maumee, Ohio, according to an arrest warrant.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
1 Apr. 2025
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He was detained, tortured with electric shock shock and suffocation.—
Verónica Egui Brito,
Miami Herald,
21 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Brutalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brutalize. Accessed 19 Apr. 2025.
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