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
Yet his statements, once again, fail to mention the hostages and fail to mention Hamas, whose barbaric actions on October 7, 2023, triggered this war.
—Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 17 Apr. 2025
Yet his statements, once again, fail to mention the hostages and fail to mention Hamas, whose barbaric actions on October 7 2023, triggered this war.
—Matt Robison, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Apr. 2025
In Song of myself, Walt Whitman describes it as the barbaric yawp, which is just this guttural expression of emotion.
—Outside Online, 9 Apr. 2025
Firing squad execution: Is the 'barbaric' method making a comeback?
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA TODAY, 6 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for barbaric
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 17 Apr. 2025
Yet his statements, once again, fail to mention the hostages and fail to mention Hamas, whose barbaric actions on October 7 2023, triggered this war.
—Matt Robison, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Apr. 2025
In Song of myself, Walt Whitman describes it as the barbaric yawp, which is just this guttural expression of emotion.
—Outside Online, 9 Apr. 2025
Firing squad execution: Is the 'barbaric' method making a comeback?
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA TODAY, 6 Mar. 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 4 May. 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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