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
An academic trip to Iraq unexpectedly turned into an immersive field study on the ways authoritarian regimes use brutality.
—
Elizabeth Tsurkov, The Atlantic, 11 Jan. 2026
While some families said the interviews helped answer lingering questions, Greenberg acknowledged that no explanation could ever justify the brutality of the murders.
—Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 11 Jan. 2026
Earlier protests demonstrated many Iranians’ opposition to the theocracy’s hard-line ideology, its insistence on the hijab, its control of media and education, its general brutality.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 11 Jan. 2026
For some residents, Good’s killing reopened deep wounds in a city still reckoning with the police murder of George Floyd, which occurred just blocks away in May 2020 and sparked nationwide protests against police brutality.
—Nicole Acevedo, NBC news, 10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for brutality
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.
Elizabeth Tsurkov, The Atlantic, 11 Jan. 2026
While some families said the interviews helped answer lingering questions, Greenberg acknowledged that no explanation could ever justify the brutality of the murders.
—Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 11 Jan. 2026
Earlier protests demonstrated many Iranians’ opposition to the theocracy’s hard-line ideology, its insistence on the hijab, its control of media and education, its general brutality.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 11 Jan. 2026
For some residents, Good’s killing reopened deep wounds in a city still reckoning with the police murder of George Floyd, which occurred just blocks away in May 2020 and sparked nationwide protests against police brutality.
—Nicole Acevedo, NBC news, 10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for brutality
Cite this Entry
“Brutality.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brutality. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
