BARBARIC Synonyms: 96 Similar and Opposite Words

barbaric

adjective

bär-ˈber-ik

Definition of barbaric

as in brutal

having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others a barbaric dictator who tortured his own people with no qualms

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in barbarian

not civilized the barbaric forebears of modern mankind

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of barbaric How could anyone do this dastardly, inhumane, barbaric escape? — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 14 Aug. 2026 The jail in Rostov was less barbaric but no less stultifying. — Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026 Maggie Greene was introduced in The Walking Dead season 2 as an open-hearted survivor who was just beginning to grapple with the barbaric nature of her new reality after the Wildfire virus decimates humanity. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 25 July 2026 The entire barbaric Ukraine adventure will look like a catastrophe. — Melik Kaylan, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for barbaric

Recent Examples of Synonyms for barbaric

Adjective

Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles is fighting for his job security after a brutal start to the season.

— Scott Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2026
There’s the brutal heat; the skin destroying UV-rays of that miserable, scorching, eye-blinding sun; the constant allergy/sinusitis issues that NEVER let up; the smothering humidity.

— R. Eric Thomas, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of brutal

Adjective

The policy of sending them to a third country has been condemned as harsh and cruel.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026
Eight men were killed via gassing until an Alabama district judge ruled the execution method unconstitutionally cruel, in June; the Supreme Court has maintained the block.

— Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of cruel

Adjective

Painfully aware of this, Shawn waited for one of the drunk old men to comment, heckle, make one of those incomprehensible jokes that drew rude laughter from adults.

— Rachel Heng, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026
By the same token, French-style discretion can be interpreted by American visitors as inattentive and rude.

— CNN Money, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of rude

Adjective

The Indian pilot who fought off a savage attack by his copilot and helped prevent an apparent hijack of a Flydubai plane heading to Israel with more than 170 people on board is being hailed as a hero.

— Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026
The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index weathered a savage 30% drawdown, has been choppily trendless for two months, then in recent days finally broke above its downtrend and surmounted the 50-day moving average.

— Michael Santoli, CNBC, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of savage

Adjective

Rush’s musical complexity leaned towards proggy adventures with time signatures and song structure, while Steely Dan were more inclined to wedge wild stacks of jazz chords into pop songs.

— Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2026
Bears, wild pigs, mountain lions and coyotes were at the top of the list in California, according to the study.

— Assistant Editor, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of wild

Adjective

Experts are voicing concerns over the vicious cycle of rising debt and higher yields.

— Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 5 Oct. 2026
Verity dwells almost entirely in the gulf between the front-facing celeb being interviewed by Alex Cooper and the vicious private thoughts of her confession.

— Bethy Squires, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of vicious

Adjective

The chaos in Ithaca may be political and ethical—a violation of custom—but stretches of the poem are barbarous and wild, beyond civilized life altogether.

— David Denby, New Yorker, 21 June 2026
Seeking to eliminate Berber forces in the barren mountains of northern Morocco, seven soldiers obediently follow their fanatical sergeant (Víctor Clavijo) into barbarous depths of depravity.

— Ed Meza, Variety, 16 May 2026

Definition of barbarous

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barbarians

barbaric

barbarism

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“Barbaric.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/barbaric. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of barbaric

adjective

Example Sentences

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