1. treats someone or something with cruelty and violence
Usage: British spelling; third person singular present
2. makes someone become cruel or insensitive through harsh treatment or exposure to violence
Usage: British spelling; third person singular present

Examples

• The dictator brutalises his own people without mercy.
• War brutalises even the most gentle soldiers.
• The harsh prison system brutalises inmates rather than rehabilitating them.
• Years of abuse brutalises children and affects their development.
• The coach brutalises players during training sessions.
• Constant exposure to violence brutalises society as a whole.