brutality
noun
bru·tal·i·ty
brü-ˈta-lə-tē 
plural brutalities
1
: the quality or state of being brutal
2
: a brutal act or course of action
Examples of brutality in a Sentence
the brutalities of a prison
the police were accused of brutality for using excessive force in making arrests
Recent Examples on the Web
Bell implicitly asserts that the 1999 protest would foreshadow the next quarter century of direct action against fascist overreach, police brutality, and genocide.
—
Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 5 Dec. 2025
The United Nations put the number of civilians killed by Russian forces in the Ukrainian town of Bucha, which is considered to be Russia’s worst act of brutality of the war in Ukraine, at just 73-178.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 5 Dec. 2025
The resulting game evokes the bombast of Japanese kaiju movies, the wonder of prestige nature documentaries, and sometimes even the brutality of factory farming, all while remaining its own undeniably majestic beast.
—Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 3 Dec. 2025
The units were known in Afghanistan for their secrecy and alleged brutality, and members were implicated in numerous extrajudicial killings of civilians, particularly during night raids.
—Caroline Linton, CBS News, 28 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brutality
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Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 5 Dec. 2025
The United Nations put the number of civilians killed by Russian forces in the Ukrainian town of Bucha, which is considered to be Russia’s worst act of brutality of the war in Ukraine, at just 73-178.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 5 Dec. 2025
The resulting game evokes the bombast of Japanese kaiju movies, the wonder of prestige nature documentaries, and sometimes even the brutality of factory farming, all while remaining its own undeniably majestic beast.
—Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 3 Dec. 2025
The units were known in Afghanistan for their secrecy and alleged brutality, and members were implicated in numerous extrajudicial killings of civilians, particularly during night raids.
—Caroline Linton, CBS News, 28 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brutality
Cite this Entry
“Brutality.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brutality. Accessed 9 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
brutality
noun
bru·tal·i·ty
brü-ˈtal-ət-ē
plural brutalities
1
: the quality or state of being brutal
2
: a brutal act or course of action
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