1
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
2
as in barbarian
not civilized
the barbaric forebears of modern mankind
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of barbaric
Rather remain archaic and barbaric than find a better option to give.
—
Yesika Salgado, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026
During the Middle Ages, for example, many contemporary accounts from both Christian and Muslim societies depicted their opposing side as barbaric, blasphemous, and inferior.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 19 Mar. 2026
Reports say Mohammadi was killed in a public hanging seen as a barbaric move by the Iranian regime to snuff out the ongoing movement seeking to topple it, according to Iranian American human rights activists and dissidents.
—Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 19 Mar. 2026
What kind of barbaric regime puts a school for little girls in a compound that used to be military?
—Arkansas Online, 14 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for barbaric
Yesika Salgado, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026
During the Middle Ages, for example, many contemporary accounts from both Christian and Muslim societies depicted their opposing side as barbaric, blasphemous, and inferior.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 19 Mar. 2026
Reports say Mohammadi was killed in a public hanging seen as a barbaric move by the Iranian regime to snuff out the ongoing movement seeking to topple it, according to Iranian American human rights activists and dissidents.
—Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 19 Mar. 2026
What kind of barbaric regime puts a school for little girls in a compound that used to be military?
—Arkansas Online, 14 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for barbaric
Recent Examples of Synonyms for barbaric
Adjective
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His first strikeout was part of a brutal sequence.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
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The injury is obviously a brutal blow to Canada's starting 11.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
19 June 2026
Adjective
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For the design of the barbarian figure, Sweet reached out to Mark Taylor, an artist and designer at Mattel.—
Sanat Pai RaikarAll,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
4 May 2026
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When the Western Roman Empire fell in the fifth century C.E., Europe was plunged into chaos as barbarian Germanic forces advanced south—or so the story goes.—
Emma Gometz,
Scientific American,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Still, the simple story — written by Jordan Tannahill, who adapted his own book, and directed by Janicza Bravo — illustrates various destructive choices and cruel actions ostensibly driven by love.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
12 June 2026
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Here is the part that feels especially cruel.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
12 June 2026
Adjective
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That seems a pretty rude thing to write in the newspaper.—
Peter Larsen,
Oc Register,
10 June 2026
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Brock isn’t being rude — far from it.—
Rachel Brodsky,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
Adjective
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Harron slyly transforms it into a savage social satire, using the narrator’s unreliable point of view to borderline absurdist effect.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 June 2026
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What begins as a desperate family bonding trip rapidly devolves into savage violence and brutal psychological warfare.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
3 June 2026
Adjective
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Though the Guardians have a share of first place with the White Sox and a three-game cushion over the Athletics in wild-card positioning, the club is about to weather some significant time without José Ramírez or Chase DeLauter.—
Stephen J. Nesbitt,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
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Rosenthal and other salary cap critics point out that wild spending is no guarantee of success, and many clubs operating on a shoestring, like the Milwaukee Brewers, have found ways to win consistently.—
David Faris,
TheWeek,
15 June 2026
Adjective
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The story follows vicious ex-con, Max Cady (Bardem) and his revenge plot against married couple Tom (Patrick Wilson) and Anna Bowden (Adams).—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
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Mahmic’s vicious goal in traffic salvaged some good feeling before a decisive showdown with Qatar next week.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 June 2026
Adjective
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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
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Lies told by people who are simply too afraid to look at such an ugly, barbarous reality.—
Clare Malone,
New Yorker,
19 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Barbaric.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/barbaric. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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