brutalize
/'bru:təlaiz/ Cách viết khác : (brutalise) /'bru:təlaiz/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Verb (transitive):
- To make brutal, unfeeling, or inhuman: To cause someone or something to lose humane qualities, becoming cruel or insensitive.
- To treat brutally: To subject someone to cruel and violent treatment.
Verb (intransitive):
- To become brutal or insensitive and unfeeling: To undergo a process where one loses compassion and becomes cruel.
Usage
- As a transitive verb, "brutalize" typically takes a direct object (e.g., or ).
- As an intransitive verb, it describes a change of state and does not take a direct object (e.g., ).
- The word often describes the psychological or moral effect of sustained violence, hardship, or cruel systems on individuals or groups.
Examples
- Transitive verb (to make brutal):
- The horrors of war can brutalize even the most gentle souls.
- A corrupt system can brutalize its citizens, stripping away their empathy.
- Transitive verb (to treat brutally):
- The guards were accused of trying to brutalize the prisoners.
- He claimed the police brutalized him during the arrest.
- Intransitive verb (to become brutal):
- After years in the violent gang, he began to brutalize.
- Constant exposure to such cruelty risks causing one to brutalize.
Advanced Usage
- In sociological or political discourse: Used to describe the dehumanizing effects of institutions, poverty, or conflict.
- The debate centered on how prolonged incarceration might brutalize inmates.
- In a reflexive sense: Sometimes used reflexively to mean "to allow oneself to become brutal."
- He feared he would brutalize himself by seeking revenge.
Variants and Related Words
- Brutalization (noun): The act or process of making or becoming brutal.
- The brutalization of the soldiers was a tragic consequence of the conflict.
- Brutal (adjective): Savagely violent, cruel, or harsh.
- The attack was particularly brutal.
- Brutality (noun): Savage physical violence; great cruelty.
- The brutality of the regime was widely condemned.
Synonyms
- Dehumanize: To deprive of positive human qualities.
- Desensitize: To make less sensitive or reactive, especially to violence.
- Savage: (verb) To attack ferociously.
- Mistreat: To treat badly or cruelly.
Phrasal Verbs
(This word does not commonly form phrasal verbs.)
Related Idioms
(There are no common idioms that center on the word "brutalize" itself.)
Verb
- become brutal or insensitive and unfeeling
- make brutal, unfeeling, or inhuman
- Life in the camps had brutalized him
- treat brutally