brutalize

verb

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

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 noun

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.
So, here is a classic case of a free and independent country being invaded and brutalized by an expansionist dictatorship that seeks to redraw international boundaries by force. Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 28 Oct. 2024 While he’s credited for opening up the Americas to European settlers, history has shown that Christopher Columbus was less a heroic historical figure and more of a villain, brutalizing Native Americans and bringing disease, wars, and more to what would eventually become the U.S. Jason Ma, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2024 Scared for the victims and their families who were stalked and brutalized in the most vicious way. Olivia B. Waxman, TIME, 23 Oct. 2024 Amiri Baraka was arrested the night after Smith, for illegally possessing weapons, and he was brutalized, too. Kelefa Sanneh, The New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2024 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

Dictionary Entries Near brutalize

Cite this Entry

“Brutalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brutalize. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on brutalize

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!