broken men

Broken men are those defeated by circumstance—worn down by war, poverty, grief, or failure until they've lost their former strength or spirit.

The phrase suggests men who once had wholeness or purpose but have been shattered: The refugees were broken men, hollow-eyed and silent.

In historical contexts, broken men were outlaws or soldiers separated from their units, masterless and dangerous.

The term carries more pathos than "defeated" and implies damage that may be irreparable.