brutish

adjective

brut·​ish ˈbrü-tish 

1

: resembling, befitting, or typical of a brute or beast

brutish strength

brutish violence

But its skull is curiously brutish, with thickened braincase walls, massive browridges, and evidence of powerful neck muscles. All in all, H. erectus fits the familiar stereotype of the … caveman.

—Matt Cartmill

2

a

: strongly and grossly sensual

brutish gluttony

He thinks he is a poetic amorist; he is a brutish sensualist.

—Stanley Kauffmann

b

: showing little intelligence or sensibility

a brutish lack of understanding

Life without enlightenment is nasty and brutish, yet it is the natural condition …

—Frank Kermode

brutishly adverb

brutishness noun

Synonyms

• brute
• brutal

Choose the Right Synonym for brutish

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 brutish in a Sentence

She is married to a brutish, drunken slob.

as the months of recurrent combat dragged on, the daily existence of the soldiers became increasingly brutish

Recent Examples on the Web

The deeper problem is that Gaza has become a Hobbesian free-for-all, where life is likely to be nasty, brutish, and short for the unfortunate residents caught in the crossfire. —Bobby Ghosh, Time, 16 Oct. 2025

Confirmed are the shapeshifting Mystique, the brutish Omega Red, at least one giant mutant-hunting Sentinel, and military organization the Reavers. —Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Sep. 2025

This is a brutish land where lives are lost and forgotten in a moment. —Rob Salkowitz, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025

In Budapest, after the uprising against the Communist regime, Andor — raised by his mother with idealized tales of his dead father — has his world turned upside down when a brutish man appears, claiming to be his true father. —Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 12 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

probably from Medieval Latin brūtum brute entry 2 + -ish

First Known Use

1534, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

brutish

adjective

brut·​ish ˈbrüt-ish 

1

: resembling, befitting, or typical of a brute or beast

lived a hard and brutish life

2

a

: animal entry 2 sense 2

b

: showing little intelligence or sense

brutish lack of understanding

brutishly adverb

brutishness noun