Meaning & use
police brutality
Last updated
Meaning
noununcountable
The use of excessive or unlawful force by police officers against people.
Grammar: It is usually uncountable, so you say police brutality, not a police brutality.
Patterns
- police brutality against someone
- allegations of police brutality
- protest against police brutality
The video led to widespread protests against police brutality.
The report documented cases of police brutality in the city.
She filed a complaint alleging police brutality after the arrest.
Common combinations
- allegations of police brutality
- The department faced allegations of police brutality.
- protest against police brutality
- Thousands marched to protest against police brutality.
- investigate police brutality
- An independent body was set up to investigate police brutality.
- police brutality case
- The police brutality case went to trial last year.
Synonyms and how they differ
- police violence
- Police violence is a broader term for any violent acts by police; police brutality emphasizes excessive or cruel force.
- excessive force
- Excessive force is a legal term for force beyond what is necessary; police brutality is a more public and critical phrase.
Word family
Commonly confused: police brutality or police violence?
police brutality vs police violence
Police violence is a wider term; police brutality often implies a pattern of excessive or unlawful force.
Practice
Which sentence uses police brutality correctly?
Choose one answer.
Police brutality refers to excessive or unlawful force by police, often against protesters or detainees. The other options misuse the phrase as an object, a person, or a rank.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “police brutality”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.