1
as in brutal
having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others
brute attacks on innocent civilians
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in feral
having or showing the nature and appetites of a lower animal
a man of brute instinct, he deals with conflict the only way he knows how—by physical force
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in animal
one of the lower animals as distinguished from human beings
it is a fundamental sense of right and wrong that separates us from the brutes
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in villain
a mean, evil, or unprincipled person
leave him alone, you brute!
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of brute
Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 1 June 2025
For example, the antagonistic alien brute Captain Gantu is left out.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 21 May 2025
Maelle Beauget-Uhl, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
Slinging a sports coat over his pajamas, Long pulls up to a curb and finds Tay (Dustin Nguyen), the Vietnamese speaker, plus two silent brutes, Eddie (Phi Vu) and Aden (Dali Benssalah), who muscle into his car and take over everything: the seating arrangements, the air freshener and their driver.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brute
Adjective
His brute force and scoring touch were the perfect blend of physicality and finesse Florida needed and a dominant style of game that carries over into the postseason.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 1 June 2025
For example, the antagonistic alien brute Captain Gantu is left out.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 21 May 2025
Noun
By the end of the episode, the audience is eager to meet the antihero, the brute, that everyone is talking about.
—Maelle Beauget-Uhl, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
Slinging a sports coat over his pajamas, Long pulls up to a curb and finds Tay (Dustin Nguyen), the Vietnamese speaker, plus two silent brutes, Eddie (Phi Vu) and Aden (Dali Benssalah), who muscle into his car and take over everything: the seating arrangements, the air freshener and their driver.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brute
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brute
Adjective
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Each of the disciples have their own secrets to bear, life taking them on some brutal pathways, the piece leaning into powerful introspection.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
28 June 2025
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Just over a decade had passed since the end of the brutal twelve-year-long conflict, and street protests often ended in violence.—
Graciela Mochkofsky,
New Yorker,
28 June 2025
Adjective
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Advertisement Dawn of the Dead (1978) There's a credible case to be made that Romero's 1973 movie The Crazies, about a biological weapon that causes residents of a small town to go feral, qualifies as a zombie movie.—
James Grebey,
Time,
20 June 2025
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There are tribes of fast, feral predators that resemble the second coming of neanderthals.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
18 June 2025
Noun
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Police said there was no sign of food or water for the animals, and investigators believe the animals died from prolonged starvation or dehydration, according to the release.—
Elainie Barraza,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 June 2025
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The chemicals can also linger for years in the bodies and bloodstreams of animals and humans.—
Susannah Bryan,
Sun Sentinel,
29 June 2025
Noun
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Two of the game’s most brilliant villains have matured into eloquent eulogists.—
Simon Vozick-Levinson,
Rolling Stone,
30 June 2025
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For an industry which has long been treated by the television and film industries as a dirty, dangerous business run by unethical, cartoon-ish villains like J.R. Ewing, such a balanced portrayal is a welcome change, indeed.—
David Blackmon,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2025
Adjective
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As savage Arctic cold was getting ready to surge south across North America, vivid imagery based on data from weather models showed us what was going to happen.—
Tom Yulsman,
Discover Magazine,
27 Dec. 2022
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The 2023 grand marshal is former Arizona Democratic congresswoman Gabby Giffords, gravely wounded in a savage mass shooting in 2011 that also killed six people.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Dec. 2022
Adjective
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Oakmont lived up to its brutish reputation Thursday, with the world’s top players recording more rounds in the 80s than under par.—
Justin Ray,
New York Times,
13 June 2025
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His world turns upside down when a brutish man appears, claiming to be his true dad.—
Marta Balaga,
Variety,
13 May 2025
Noun
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Pollinators Matter As National Pollinator Week continues, embracing trends like pollinator pots, promoted by TikTok creators and supported by organizations like Bee Cups, offers an easy and meaningful way to help these crucial creatures thrive.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 June 2025
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All 500 items, including the company’s most recognizable fluffy creatures — Labubu, Cry Baby, Baby Molly, and Skullpanda — sold out in a flash.—
Denni Hu,
Footwear News,
20 June 2025
Noun
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The monster season Soto gave the Yankees last year, leading them to the World Series, is what the Padres expected from him.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 June 2025
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Today, that monster lives on, not in steel and speakers, but in light.—
Noah Eckstein,
HollywoodReporter,
23 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Brute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brute. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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