barbarous

adjective

bar·​ba·​rous ˈbär-b(ə-)rəs 

1

a

: uncivilized

b

: lacking culture or refinement : philistine

2

: characterized by the occurrence of barbarisms

barbarous language

3

: mercilessly harsh or cruel

barbarous crimes

barbarously adverb

barbarousness noun

Synonyms

• atrocious
• barbaric
• brutal
• brute
• butcherly
• cruel
• fiendish
• heartless
• inhuman
• inhumane
• sadistic
• savage
• truculent
• vicious
• wanton

Choose the Right Synonym for barbarous

fierce, ferocious, barbarous, savage, cruel mean showing fury or malignity in looks or actions.

fierce applies to humans and animals that inspire terror because of their wild and menacing aspect or fury in attack.

fierce warriors

ferocious implies extreme fierceness and unrestrained violence and brutality.

a ferocious dog

barbarous implies a ferocity or mercilessness regarded as unworthy of civilized people.

barbarous treatment of prisoners

savage implies the absence of inhibitions restraining civilized people filled with rage, lust, or other violent passion.

a savage criminal

cruel implies indifference to suffering and even positive pleasure in inflicting it.

the cruel jokes of schoolboys

Examples of barbarous in a Sentence

a monarch resorting to whatever barbarous means he deemed necessary to protect his throne

an aunt who abhors barbarous behavior such as eating with your fingers

Recent Examples on the Web

How does Reed manage to revisit some of the world’s most barbarous acts without succumbing to despair? —K.j. Yossman, Variety, 9 Oct. 2024

Any slip-up or act of insubordination, no matter how small, results in immediate death from the barbarous SS members running the camp. —Josh Weiss, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025

Experts told PolitiFact such narratives painting Haiti as a barbarous country are not new and are racist attempts to dehumanize Haitians. —Jeff Cercone, Austin American-Statesman, 14 Sep. 2024

Treating barbarous body horror as something embedded in us deeper than the mutual love of a partner, especially when it’s done without the theatrical or exploitation trappings, makes for one of the New French Extremity’s most troubling works. —Rory Doherty, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin barbarus, from Greek barbaros foreign, ignorant

First Known Use

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

Kids Definition

barbarous

adjective

bar·​ba·​rous ˈbär-b(ə-)rəs 

1

: uncivilized sense 1

2

: cruel sense 2, savage

barbarously adverb

barbarousness noun