brutalizes
Inflicts severe harm
Brutalizes is the third-person singular of brutalize, meaning to treat with savage cruelty or violence: The regime brutalizes political prisoners.
It can also mean to make brutal—to harden or dehumanize through exposure to violence: War brutalizes everyone it touches.
The word implies systematic or repeated cruelty rather than a single act.
Violent physical attacks
- battersMixtures before baking
- beatsPulses or defeats
- pummelsStrikes with repeated blows
- maulsAttacks with brutal force
savages · attacks · tortures · abuses · victimizes · harms · injures · wounds
Diminishes in quality
- demeansCauses loss of dignity
- objectifiesTreats someone as thing
- devaluesReduces perceived worth
- stripsNarrow cut pieces
depersonalizes · diminishes · humiliates · violates · exploits · subjugates · belittles · desecrates
Rules by cruel domination
- dominatesExerts supreme control
- subjugatesBrings under complete control
- persecutesHarasses with sustained hostility
- repressesSubdues or restrains forcibly
crushes · suppresses · enslaves · tramples · intimidates · terrorizes · bullies · coerces
assaults
Violent physical attacks
mauls · savages · attacks · tortures · abuses · victimizes · harms · injures · wounds · traumatizes
degrades
Diminishes in quality
- demeansCauses loss of dignity
- objectifiesTreats someone as thing
- devaluesReduces perceived worth
strips · depersonalizes · diminishes · humiliates · violates · exploits · subjugates · belittles · desecrates · defiles
tyrannizes
Rules by cruel domination
- dominatesExerts supreme control
- subjugatesBrings under complete control
- persecutesHarasses with sustained hostility
represses · crushes · suppresses · enslaves · tramples · intimidates · terrorizes · bullies · coerces · overpowers
desensitizes
Makes less responsive
toughens · deadens · blunts · hardens · inures · conditions · corrupts · warps · damages · scars