B2 verb Formal

brutalize

/ˈbruː.tə.laɪz/

To treat someone in a very cruel, violent, or insensitive manner, often leading to a loss of humanity or moral standards in the victim. It can also refer to the process of becoming desensitized to violence or harshness through repeated exposure.

Exemplos

3 de 5
1

The harsh conditions in the labor camp began to brutalize the prisoners.

The severe living conditions in the camp started making the prisoners lose their sense of humanity.

2

International organizations condemned the regime's attempt to brutalize the civilian population into submission.

Global groups criticized the government for using extreme cruelty to force the citizens to obey.

3

Don't let a few bad experiences in the city brutalize you; keep your kind heart.

Do not let negative experiences make you cold or hard-hearted; remain a nice person.

Família de palavras

Substantivo
brutalization
Verb
brutalize
Advérbio
brutally
Adjetivo
brutalized
Relacionado
brutality
💡

Dica de memorização

Think of a 'Brute' (a violent, unthinking beast) and the suffix '-ize' (to make). To brutalize someone is to treat them so badly that you turn them into a brute.

Quiz rápido

Historians argue that the long years of trench warfare served to ________ the young soldiers, making them cold to the horrors of death.

Correto!

A resposta correta é: brutalize

Exemplos

1

The harsh conditions in the labor camp began to brutalize the prisoners.

everyday

The severe living conditions in the camp started making the prisoners lose their sense of humanity.

2

International organizations condemned the regime's attempt to brutalize the civilian population into submission.

formal

Global groups criticized the government for using extreme cruelty to force the citizens to obey.

3

Don't let a few bad experiences in the city brutalize you; keep your kind heart.

informal

Do not let negative experiences make you cold or hard-hearted; remain a nice person.

4

Sociological studies suggest that prolonged exposure to media violence can brutalize the collective psyche of a society.

academic

Academic research implies that seeing too much violence in movies and news can make a whole society less sensitive to suffering.

5

The aggressive corporate culture had started to brutalize the managers, making them indifferent to their employees' well-being.

business

The competitive workplace environment made the bosses act cruelly and stop caring about their staff.

Família de palavras

Substantivo
brutalization
Verb
brutalize
Advérbio
brutally
Adjetivo
brutalized
Relacionado
brutality

Colocações comuns

brutalize the population to treat the general public with extreme cruelty
systematically brutalize to apply violence or cruelty in a planned, organized way
brutalize the mind to make someone's thoughts or feelings harsh and insensitive
brutalized by war made cruel or desensitized by the experience of conflict
the power to brutalize having the capacity to make others act or feel like animals

Frases Comuns

brutalizing effects

the negative consequences of being treated cruelly

brutalize the senses

to overwhelm or deaden one's perceptions through harshness

brutalized soul

a person who has become hard or insensitive due to suffering

Frequentemente confundido com

brutalize vs belittle

To belittle means to make someone feel small or unimportant through words, while to brutalize involves physical or extreme psychological cruelty.

brutalize vs brutal

Brutal is an adjective describing something harsh; brutalize is the verb for the process of making something or someone harsh.

📝

Notas de uso

The word is most frequently used in the passive voice (e.g., 'they were brutalized') to describe victims. It implies a deeper change in character or psychology than simple 'abuse' or 'injury.'

⚠️

Erros comuns

Learners often use 'brutalize' as a synonym for 'to be honest' because of the phrase 'to be brutally honest.' However, 'brutalize' always implies a negative, cruel transformation.

💡

Dica de memorização

Think of a 'Brute' (a violent, unthinking beast) and the suffix '-ize' (to make). To brutalize someone is to treat them so badly that you turn them into a brute.

📖

Origem da palavra

Derived from the Middle French 'brutal,' which comes from the Latin 'brutus,' meaning 'dull, stupid, or heavy.'

Padrões gramaticais

transitive verb (requires an object) often used in the passive voice regular verb conjugation (brutalized, brutalizing)
🌍

Contexto cultural

The term is frequently used in human rights discourses and historical accounts of slavery, colonialism, and warfare to describe the erosion of empathy.

Quiz rápido

Historians argue that the long years of trench warfare served to ________ the young soldiers, making them cold to the horrors of death.

Correto!

A resposta correta é: brutalize

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