traumatize

especially British, trau·ma·tise

[trou-muh-tahyz, traw-]

verb (used with object)

traumatized, traumatizing 

1. Pathology.,  to injure (tissues) by force or by thermal, chemical, etc., agents.

2. Psychiatry.,  to cause a trauma in (the mind).

   to be traumatized by a childhood experience.

traumatize

/ ˈtrɔːməˌtaɪz /

verb

1. (tr) to wound or injure (the body)

2. to subject or be subjected to mental trauma

Other Word Forms

• traumatization noun
• untraumatized adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of traumatize¹

First recorded in 1900–05, traumatize is from the Greek word traumatízein to wound. See traumatic, -ize

Example Sentences

Both instances are deeply traumatizing and lead to mistrust of the police.

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She said her grandson, who was celebrating his birthday on the weekend of the shooting, was traumatized after seeing his father killed.

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She is “traumatized without trauma. There were footprints on her mind where no one had trod.”

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In her 2023 memoir “The Woman in Me,” she disputed having substance abuse issues and described the custody battle as “traumatizing,” accusing Federline of attempting to portray her as unstable.

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God Owes Me Money’ is about childhood trauma and how people do harm from not thinking rather than pre-calculation — which also means I’ve traumatized people by not thinking,” the singer said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• disturb 
• grieve 
• hurt 
• mortify 
• offend 
• outrage 
• shock 
• upset