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
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
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.
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
Cite this Entry
“Barbaric.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barbaric. Accessed 28 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
barbaric
adjective
bar·bar·ic
bär-ˈbar-ik
1
: of, relating to, or characteristic of barbarians
2
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share