barbaric

adjective

bar·​bar·​ic bär-ˈber-ik How to pronounce barbaric (audio)
-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
the tangled, loose barbaric magnificence of the Elizabethan dramaThink
3
: barbarous sense 3
barbaric crimes
barbarically adverb

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
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.
But killing so many of them as a means of population control is barbaric. Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 24 May 2025 The nation has also harbored and financially supported the fanatical Hamas terror group, which carried out the barbaric Oct. 7 attacks against Israel, our staunch ally in the region. Editorial, Boston Herald, 17 May 2025 In Straight, the punitive approach to shaping teens was writ large and barbaric. Cyndy Etler, Hartford Courant, 21 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. Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 17 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for barbaric

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Barbaric.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barbaric. Accessed 28 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

barbaric

adjective
bar·​bar·​ic bär-ˈbar-ik How to pronounce barbaric (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or characteristic of barbarians
2

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