brutalize

verb

bru·​tal·​ize ˈbrü-tᵊl-ˌīz How to pronounce brutalize (audio)
brutalized; brutalizing
Synonyms of brutalizenext

transitive verb

1
: to make brutal, unfeeling, or inhuman
temperaments brutalized by poverty and disease
2
: to treat brutally
an accord not to brutalize prisoners of war
brutalization
ˌbrü-tᵊl-ə-ˈzā-shən How to pronounce brutalize (audio)
noun

Synonyms of brutalize

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Examples of brutalize in a Sentence

a young man brutalized by the experience of war The prisoners claimed to have been brutalized by their captors.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
But booze is a malicious, treacherous muse—an assassin who, before killing you, brutalizes you, humiliates you, and robs you of your words. — Literary Hub, 4 June 2026 Taxpayers are beholden to the two-party system, a system that steals from and brutalizes working-class people to serve the billionaires. — Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 5 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 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 See All Example Sentences for brutalize

Word History

Etymology

probably borrowed from French brutaliser, going back to Middle French, from brutal brutal + -iser -ize

First Known Use

circa 1704, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of brutalize was circa 1704

Rhymes for brutalize

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Browse Nearby Words

brutalization
brutalize
brutally
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Cite this Entry

“Brutalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brutalize. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on brutalize

Nglish: Translation of brutalize for Spanish Speakers

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