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

Synonyms of brutality

• cruelty
• atrocity

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

The relentless flow of appalling events eventually overloads the nervous system; the rising tide of brutality, which once seemed shocking, comes to seem unremarkable. —David Brooks, Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2026

For Hasan as well, this round of unrest felt different, reflecting both the brutality of an increasingly paranoid regime and a new level of public anger and appetite for confrontation. —Sarah Dean, CNN Money, 23 Jan. 2026

In 2018, the company partnered with Colin Kaepernick, whose protest against police brutality had effectively ended his NFL career. —Debbie Millman, Time, 22 Jan. 2026

But the footage of ICE brutality is everywhere, and much of it is occurring in retail establishments. —Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 21 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Medieval Latin brūtālitāt-, brūtālitās, from brūtālis "brutish, bestial" + Latin -itāt-, -itās -ity — more at brutal

First Known Use

1550, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for brutality

• banality
• bestiality
• carnality
• centrality
• chirality
• duality
• fatality
• finality
• formality
• frugality
• legality
• lethality

Kids 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