barbaric
adjective
bar·bar·ic
bär-ˈber-ik 
-ˈba-rik
1
a
: of, relating to, or characteristic of a group of people who are alien to another land, culture, or people and who are usually believed to be inferior : of, relating to, or characteristic of barbarians
b
: possessing or characteristic of a cultural level more complex than primitive (see primitive entry 1 sense 2c) culture but less sophisticated than advanced civilization (see civilization sense 1a)
2
a
: marked by a lack of restraint : wild
a barbaric use of color
b
: having a bizarre, primitive, or unsophisticated quality
… I sound my barbaric yawp …—
Walt Whitman
Walt Whitmanthe tangled, loose barbaric magnificence of the Elizabethan drama—Think
Think3
: barbarous sense 3
barbaric crimes
Examples of barbaric in a Sentence
Barbaric tribes invaded the area.
His table manners are barbaric.
They considered the custom barbaric.
The treatment of the prisoners was positively barbaric.
Recent Examples on the Web
The origins of that industry really are self-help cults from the '70s that use these really kind of barbaric behavioral therapy modification programs.
—Senior Editor, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
To be clear, political violence is barbaric and horrifying.
—Billy Eichner, Rolling Stone, 21 Sep. 2025
Colum has this great line about barbaric tools.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Sep. 2025
Kirk’s assassin, as well as anyone else who engages in barbaric acts, should be condemned, face the ultimate legal consequences for their actions and be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
—Agustina Vergara Cid, Oc Register, 13 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for barbaric
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Senior Editor, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
To be clear, political violence is barbaric and horrifying.
—Billy Eichner, Rolling Stone, 21 Sep. 2025
Colum has this great line about barbaric tools.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Sep. 2025
Kirk’s assassin, as well as anyone else who engages in barbaric acts, should be condemned, face the ultimate legal consequences for their actions and be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
—Agustina Vergara Cid, Oc Register, 13 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for barbaric
Cite this Entry
“Barbaric.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barbaric. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
barbaric
adjective
bar·bar·ic
bär-ˈbar-ik
1
: of, relating to, or characteristic of barbarians
2
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