verb
- to treat someone or something with extreme cruelty or violence
- to make someone cruel or insensitive through exposure to violence or harsh treatment
Examples
- The dictator’s forces brutalized innocent civilians.
- Years of war had brutalized the once-gentle soldier.
- The documentary showed how prisoners were brutalized in the camp.
- Constant exposure to violence can brutalize young minds.
- The coach was fired for brutalizing his players during practice.
- She refused to let harsh circumstances brutalize her spirit.