Psychological Trauma Vocabulary

noun a violent physical or verbal attack

verb to make a physical or verbal attack

• The suspect was charged with assault and battery.
• I heard there was an assault at the party last night.
• Don't mess with him, he'll assault you if you make him mad.
• The harsh criticism felt like a verbal assault on her character.

verb to treat someone in a cruel and violent way

• The dictator's regime was known to brutalize its citizens in order to maintain control.
• I can't believe how that coach brutalized the referee during the game.
• The bullies in school would constantly brutalize the younger kids.
• The harsh criticism from the media seemed to brutalize the actor's confidence.

verb to put to death, especially by hanging, by mob action and without legal authority

• The mob intended to lynch the accused before the authorities intervened.
• They were planning to lynch him for his actions.
• The group was ready to lynch him for crossing them.
• The negative comments online felt like a virtual lynch mob attacking her.

noun the spontaneous or unplanned expulsion of a fetus from the womb before it is able to survive independently

• The doctor explained the potential risks of miscarriage during the first trimester.
• She was devastated to hear about her friend's miscarriage.
• I heard she had a tough time dealing with her miscarriage.
• The project's failure felt like a miscarriage of justice.

noun a difficult or painful experience

adjective relating to a difficult or painful experience

• The survivor shared their harrowing ordeal with the authorities.
• I can't believe she had to go through such a terrible ordeal.
• That was one hell of an ordeal to deal with.
• Facing the challenges of starting a new business was like going through a long and difficult ordeal.

noun a specific type of assault that involves sexual activity or behavior without consent

• The survivor bravely spoke out about the sexual assault she experienced.
• I can't believe she went through a sexual assault, that's terrible.
• That guy is a total creep, I heard he's been accused of sexual assault.
• The company's decision to cut corners on safety measures was like a form of sexual assault on its employees.

noun a sudden upsetting or surprising event or experience

verb to cause someone to feel surprised or upset

• The news of the economic downturn came as a shock to the investors.
• I was in shock when I heard about the accident.
• I was shook when I found out my favorite band was coming to town.
• Her bold decision to quit her job without a backup plan sent shockwaves through the office.

verb to cause extreme fear or anxiety in someone

adjective causing extreme fear or anxiety

• The government took action to stop the group terrorizing the local community.
• The gang has been terrorizing the neighborhood for weeks now.
• Those bullies have been terrorizing kids at school.
• The dark clouds loomed overhead, terrorizing the peaceful town.

noun the action of making someone a victim of crime or abuse

adjective relating to the act of victimizing someone

• Victimization of vulnerable groups is a serious issue that needs to be addressed by policymakers.
• The victimization of innocent people is just not fair.
• Stop with the victimization, it's getting old.
• Her constant self-victimization is preventing her from moving forward in life.

noun a type of abuse that involves the mistreatment or harm of elderly individuals

• Elder abuse is a serious issue that often goes unnoticed in society.
• It's really sad to hear about cases of elder abuse happening in our community.
• That caregiver was caught red-handed for elder abuse.
• Neglecting our elders is a form of elder abuse that can have lasting consequences.

noun a person, place, thing, or idea

adjective a word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun

adverb a word that modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence

article a word that is used to specify a noun

• The victim reported experiencing unwanted sexual attention in the workplace.
• She was fed up with the unwanted sexual attention from her coworker.
• He was constantly hitting on her, giving her unwanted sexual attention.
• The company's outdated policies were like a magnet for unwanted sexual attention.

noun a wound or injury caused by biting

• The doctor treated the patient's fight bite with antibiotics to prevent infection.
• I heard that Jake got a fight bite from breaking up a fight at the bar last night.
• Don't mess with him, he's got a mean fight bite.
• Her sharp words felt like a fight bite, leaving him wounded emotionally.