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
Synonyms
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
Scrunching his face in disgust, USC coach Paul Hackett yelled for someone to wallop that barbaric Bruin.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 17 Nov. 2023
Thousands of armed Hamas terrorists indiscriminately tortured and gunned down Israeli civilians in other kibbutzim and communities, while some launched a barbaric attack at an open-air music festival.
—Patrick Reevell, ABC News, 15 Nov. 2023
Today, many conservatives are celebrating the consequences visited by employers and even some schools upon those who have publicly sided with Hamas since its barbaric assault on Israel.
—Dan McLaughlin, National Review, 7 Nov. 2023
David Engel, a board member of San Diego County Democrats for Environmental Action, told the City Council recently that rodeos are barbaric.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Nov. 2023
Hamas’ brutal terrorist attacks last month, an even more barbaric departure from its previous tactics of antisemitic violence and rhetoric, surprised even those who know the group well.
—Alexander Smith, NBC News, 6 Nov. 2023
On the quiet morning of October 7, 2023, the Palestinian terror group Hamas opened a barbaric new chapter in the history of terrorism, murdering 1,400 Israelis and taking more than 200 hostages.
—Marc Sarnoff, National Review, 23 Oct. 2023
In the wake of Hamas’s barbaric October 7 assault on Israeli Jews, antisemitism has become so rampant that Jews all across America are feeling unsettled and unsafe.
—The Editors, National Review, 31 Oct. 2023
The weeks since the barbaric Oct. 7 Hamas invasion of Israel have witnessed physical assaults on Jews the world over, including in the U.S. and Europe.
—The Editorial Board, WSJ, 30 Oct. 2023
See More
Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 17 Nov. 2023
Thousands of armed Hamas terrorists indiscriminately tortured and gunned down Israeli civilians in other kibbutzim and communities, while some launched a barbaric attack at an open-air music festival.
—Patrick Reevell, ABC News, 15 Nov. 2023
Today, many conservatives are celebrating the consequences visited by employers and even some schools upon those who have publicly sided with Hamas since its barbaric assault on Israel.
—Dan McLaughlin, National Review, 7 Nov. 2023
David Engel, a board member of San Diego County Democrats for Environmental Action, told the City Council recently that rodeos are barbaric.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Nov. 2023
Hamas’ brutal terrorist attacks last month, an even more barbaric departure from its previous tactics of antisemitic violence and rhetoric, surprised even those who know the group well.
—Alexander Smith, NBC News, 6 Nov. 2023
On the quiet morning of October 7, 2023, the Palestinian terror group Hamas opened a barbaric new chapter in the history of terrorism, murdering 1,400 Israelis and taking more than 200 hostages.
—Marc Sarnoff, National Review, 23 Oct. 2023
In the wake of Hamas’s barbaric October 7 assault on Israeli Jews, antisemitism has become so rampant that Jews all across America are feeling unsettled and unsafe.
—The Editors, National Review, 31 Oct. 2023
The weeks since the barbaric Oct. 7 Hamas invasion of Israel have witnessed physical assaults on Jews the world over, including in the U.S. and Europe.
—The Editorial Board, WSJ, 30 Oct. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'barbaric.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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
Dictionary Entries Near barbaric
Cite this Entry
“Barbaric.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barbaric. Accessed 2 Dec. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
barbaric
adjective
bar·bar·ic
bär-ˈbar-ik
1
: of, relating to, or characteristic of barbarians
2
More from Merriam-Webster on barbaric
Nglish: Translation of barbaric for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of barbaric for Arabic Speakers
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