brutal

adjective

bru·​tal ˈbrü-tᵊl How to pronounce brutal (audio)
1
: suitable to one who lacks intelligence, sensitivity, or compassion : befitting a brute: such as
a
: cruel, cold-blooded
a brutal attack
b
: harsh, severe
brutal weather
c
: unpleasantly accurate and incisive
the brutal truth
d
: very bad or unpleasant
a brutal mistake
e
: grossly ruthless or unfeeling
a brutal slander
2
archaic : typical of beasts : animal
thee, Serpent … to me so friendly grown above the rest of brutal kindJohn Milton
brutally adverb
Choose the Right Synonym for brutal

brutal, brutish, bestial, feral mean characteristic of an animal in nature, action, or instinct.

brutal applies to people, their acts, or their words and suggests a lack of intelligence, feeling, or humanity.

a senseless and brutal war

brutish stresses likeness to an animal in low intelligence, in base appetites, and in behavior based on instinct.

brutish stupidity

bestial suggests a state of degradation unworthy of humans and fit only for beasts.

bestial depravity

feral suggests the savagery or ferocity of wild animals.

the struggle to survive unleashed their feral impulses

Examples of brutal in a Sentence

Sailors sometimes faced brutal punishments like whipping. a brutal struggle for survival in the wilderness The writer describes the dangers of drugs with brutal honesty. The movie is a brutal depiction of the war. The traffic was brutal on the way to work. I had a brutal headache this morning.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Amorim acted on 33 minutes in what became a brutal, surreal spectacle. Laurie Whitwell, The Athletic, 31 Dec. 2024 New York State Attorney General Letitia James released body camera footage on Friday showing the brutal attack on Robert Brooks at the Marcy Correctional Facility in Marcy, NY. Melissa Noel, Essence, 31 Dec. 2024 Image Image Image The rebel group’s attacks on the Rohingya have been so brutal that Rohingya armed groups formed to oppose the military regime have now joined with the army — the same force that terrorized them for decades — in fighting the Arakan Army. Adam Ferguson, New York Times, 28 Dec. 2024 The second season of the drama sees Seong Gi-hun (played by Lee Jung-jae), who was Player 456 in the first season, searching for the people behind the brutal survival game, three years after winning the ₩45.6 billion prize bounty. Sara Merican, Deadline, 28 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for brutal 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English brutall "like an animal, bestial," borrowed from Middle French & Medieval Latin; Middle French, borrowed from Medieval Latin brūtālis "brutish, bestial," from brūtum "brute beast" (derivative of Latin brūtus "heavy, inert, devoid of intelligence or feeling, brutish") + Latin -ālis -al entry 1 — more at brute entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of brutal was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near brutal

Cite this Entry

“Brutal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brutal. Accessed 6 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

brutal

adjective
bru·​tal ˈbrüt-ᵊl How to pronounce brutal (audio)
: being cruel and inhuman : savage
a brutal attack
brutally adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on brutal

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