brutish

adjective

brut·​ish ˈbrü-tish 

1

: resembling, befitting, or typical of a brute or beast

brutish strength

brutish violence

But its skull is curiously brutish, with thickened braincase walls, massive browridges, and evidence of powerful neck muscles. All in all, H. erectus fits the familiar stereotype of the … caveman.

—Matt Cartmill

2

a

: strongly and grossly sensual

brutish gluttony

He thinks he is a poetic amorist; he is a brutish sensualist.

—Stanley Kauffmann

b

: showing little intelligence or sensibility

a brutish lack of understanding

Life without enlightenment is nasty and brutish, yet it is the natural condition …

—Frank Kermode

brutishly adverb

brutishness noun

Synonyms

• animalistic
• beastly
• bestial
• brutal
• brute
• feral
• ferine
• subhuman
• swinish

Choose the Right Synonym for brutish

brutal, brutish, bestial, feral mean characteristic of an animal in nature, action, or instinct.

brutal applies to people, their acts, or their words and suggests a lack of intelligence, feeling, or humanity.

a senseless and brutal war

brutish stresses likeness to an animal in low intelligence, in base appetites, and in behavior based on instinct.

brutish stupidity

bestial suggests a state of degradation unworthy of humans and fit only for beasts.

bestial depravity

feral suggests the savagery or ferocity of wild animals.

the struggle to survive unleashed their feral impulses

Examples of brutish in a Sentence

She is married to a brutish, drunken slob.

as the months of recurrent combat dragged on, the daily existence of the soldiers became increasingly brutish

Recent Examples on the Web

In Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic, Forest have two brutish, aerially dominant centre-backs, but that did not prevent Tottenham from launching crosses into the box. —Jay Harris, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2025

Some are pretty, some are brutish, but all of them represent a slice of time and technology that contribute to their intrigue. —Christian Gilbertsen, Robb Report, 27 Mar. 2025

In a rare moment of vulnerability, Xan then gives voice to the deep well of shame and self-hate that bubbles beneath his and his brother’s brutish veneer. —Bartolomeo Sala, The Dial, 27 Mar. 2025

These institutions make our lives sweet, loving and creative, rather than nasty, brutish and short. —David Brooks, Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

probably from Medieval Latin brūtum brute entry 2 + -ish

First Known Use

1534, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

brutish

adjective

brut·​ish ˈbrüt-ish 

1

: resembling, befitting, or typical of a brute or beast

lived a hard and brutish life

2

a

: animal entry 2 sense 2

b

: showing little intelligence or sense

brutish lack of understanding

brutishly adverb

brutishness noun