Synonyms

brutalize

American

[broot-l-ahyz] / ˈbrut lˌaɪz /

especially British, brutalise

verb (used with object)

to make brutal.
to treat (someone) with brutality.

brutalize British

/ ˈbruːtəˌlaɪz /

verb

to make or become brutal
(tr) to treat brutally

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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Etymology

Origin of brutalize

First recorded in 1695–1705; brutal + -ize

Vocabulary lists containing brutalize

We're not asking, we're demanding: Vocabulary from "Selma," the movie

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Whether or not he decides to appear at the trial, scheduled to begin later this year, the A.G. can use his videoed deposition testimony to brutalize him the same way Carroll’s lawyers did.

From Slate • May 11, 2023

They built a fledgling democracy with elected leaders who often failed but didn’t brutalize their people as so many regimes in the region do.

From Washington Post • Aug. 17, 2021

“It will consume government. It will brutalize people. It will cost taxpayers millions of dollars,” he said.

From Washington Times • Aug. 10, 2021

“I didn’t brutalize anybody!” he feels the need to tell the people who see him.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 7, 2021

The weight of the sand began to brutalize her shoulders.

From "The Princess Bride" by William Goldman

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023