brutal

adjective

bru·​tal ˈbrü-tᵊl How to pronounce brutal (audio)
Synonyms of brutal
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 kind …—John Milton
brutally
ˈbrü-tᵊl-ē How to pronounce brutal (audio)
adverb

Synonyms of brutal

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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.
What The Math Says The math of concentration is simple and brutal. — Anatoly Iofe, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026 The Islamic Republic regime would go on to quash the pro-democracy protests in a brutal crackdown, which is believed to have left some 30,000 people dead. — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 1 Sep. 2026 Another world premiere comes from Enkelejd Lluca and Blood Money, an Albanian boxing drama about an ex-convict called Arion drawn into a brutal underground fighting arena. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2026 Instead of breaking him, Duncan said the brutal conditions hardened his resolve to keep fighting. — Richard A. Webster, ProPublica, 31 Aug. 2026 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

Rhymes for brutal

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Browse Nearby Words

brutage
brutal
brutalise
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Cite this Entry

“Brutal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brutal. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

brutal

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