brutalizing
|bru/ta/li/zing|
/ˈbruːtəlaɪzɪŋ/
(brutalize)
making cruel
Etymology
'brutalize' originates from the adjective 'brutal' plus the verb-forming suffix '-ize'; 'brutal' ultimately comes from Latin 'brutalis', which derives from 'brutus' meaning 'heavy, dull, stupid'.
'brutal' entered English via Old French (from Late Latin 'brutalis'), and in the 19th century English formed the verb 'brutalize' from 'brutal' + '-ize'; 'brutalizing' is the present-participle/gerund form of that verb.
Initially related to being 'like a brute' or 'beastlike' (from Latin), the word evolved to mean 'cruel, savage' and then 'to make cruel or savage' in the verb form.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the act or process of treating someone or something brutally (gerund/nominal use of the verb).
Eyewitness accounts described the brutalizing of civilians in the report.
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Verb 1
to treat someone cruelly or violently; to make someone or something brutal.
The soldiers were accused of brutalizing prisoners during the crackdown.
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Verb 2
to damage or destroy something severely; to treat harshly in a figurative sense (e.g., an institution, economy, reputation).
Rapid policy changes are brutalizing the local economy.
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Last updated: 2025/11/29 18:46