brutalize
verb
bru·tal·ize
ˈbrü-tᵊl-ˌīz 
brutalized; brutalizing
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
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
That led to post-traumatic stress disorder for Komitas, who while living in Constantinople (now Istanbul) was deported to Anatolia and brutalized by a guard before being released, then eventually suffered a nervous breakdown.
—
Hugh Morris, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2024
Alongside this, police forces have been mobilized, denying resources to civilians while also brutalizing them on the streets.
—Richard Newby, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Apr. 2024
Syrian air defenses themselves are limited, meaning U.S. attacks are unlikely to be opposed, while Russia’s limited presence poses no immediate threat, since Russia has no escalation appetite now that it is wholly occupied brutalizing Ukraine.
—Seth Cropsey, National Review, 10 Feb. 2024
The two victims, Michael Corey Jenkins and Eddie Terrell Parker, were brutalized while held captive and handcuffed during a two-hour ordeal that started when the six officers invaded their home and ended with Mr. Jenkins shot in the mouth.
—Brendan O'Brien and Steve Gorman, The Christian Science Monitor, 20 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for brutalize 
Hugh Morris, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2024
Alongside this, police forces have been mobilized, denying resources to civilians while also brutalizing them on the streets.
—Richard Newby, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Apr. 2024
Syrian air defenses themselves are limited, meaning U.S. attacks are unlikely to be opposed, while Russia’s limited presence poses no immediate threat, since Russia has no escalation appetite now that it is wholly occupied brutalizing Ukraine.
—Seth Cropsey, National Review, 10 Feb. 2024
The two victims, Michael Corey Jenkins and Eddie Terrell Parker, were brutalized while held captive and handcuffed during a two-hour ordeal that started when the six officers invaded their home and ended with Mr. Jenkins shot in the mouth.
—Brendan O'Brien and Steve Gorman, The Christian Science Monitor, 20 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for brutalize
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'brutalize.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to brutalize
Dictionary Entries Near brutalize
Cite this Entry
“Brutalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brutalize. Accessed 7 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share