mutilating

Causing permanent disfigurement

Mutilating is inflicting severe damage that destroys or removes a part, especially of a body: The explosion left survivors mutilated.

The word extends to anything disfigured or made incomplete through violent alteration: mutilating the text by cutting whole chapters, vandals mutilating statues.

The damage implied is permanent and grievous, not merely superficial.

physical

dismembering

Cutting off limbs

maimingInflicting disabling wounds
severingCutting apart completely
disfiguringSpoiling outward appearance

amputating · mangling · hacking · slashing · cutting · wounding · scarring · lacerating · butchering · tearing

textual

editing

Refining content for clarity

censoringRemoving objectionable content
abridgingMaking shorter, less complete
cuttingDividing via sharp edge

bowdlerizing · redacting · excising · deleting · corrupting · distorting · butchering · mangling · altering · expurgating

ritual

scarification

Intentional shallow skin cuts

circumcisionForeskin surgical removal
FGMExcision of female genitalia
cuttingDividing via sharp edge

branding · piercing · tattooing · tribal · ceremonial · traditional · cultural · initiation · marking · body

self-harm

cutting

Dividing via sharp edge

self-injuryIntentional damage to oneself
woundsBodily tissue damage
razorBlade for removing hair

scars · deliberate · psychological · trauma · intervention · therapy · coping · crisis · harm-reduction · hospitalization

mutilating

dismembering

editing

scarification

cutting

mutilating

Opposites

Phrases

Categories

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