as in cruelty
disposition to willfully inflict pain and suffering on others
more than one reluctant dental patient has been tempted to level the charge of barbarity against their dentist
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Recent Examples of barbarity
Cathy escapes, the Jimmies' numbers are diminished, and the stomach-churning barbarity finally comes to an end.
—
Megan McCluskey, Time, 16 Jan. 2026
His observations about the barbarity of women’s beauty regimens aren’t exactly new, but they are acted out with enthusiasm and verve.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 16 Jan. 2026
Pritam’s Partition writings offer incisive critiques of the barbarity that became life with borders but also contest notions of belonging from a feminist perspective.
—JSTOR Daily, 30 Oct. 2025
Netanyahu is the excuse for staying silent about Israeli barbarity in Palestine.
—Uriel Kon
september 2, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for barbarity
Megan McCluskey, Time, 16 Jan. 2026
His observations about the barbarity of women’s beauty regimens aren’t exactly new, but they are acted out with enthusiasm and verve.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 16 Jan. 2026
Pritam’s Partition writings offer incisive critiques of the barbarity that became life with borders but also contest notions of belonging from a feminist perspective.
—JSTOR Daily, 30 Oct. 2025
Netanyahu is the excuse for staying silent about Israeli barbarity in Palestine.
—Uriel Kon
september 2, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for barbarity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for barbarity
Noun
-
To make the musical masterpiece of his dreams, Lestat will have to break on through his shell of witty cruelty and hope an authentic soul remains intact beneath it.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
2 June 2026
-
She was arrested at a hotel near the barn and booked at the Clark County Juvenile Hall on 12 counts of animal cruelty, including intentionally aiming or torturing a horse, as well as three counts of malicious destruction of property.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
Humankind really leveled-up in the brutality department during WWI, a conflict pitched as a war to end all wars.—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 May 2026
-
Also in attendance will be attorney Antonio Romanucci, who has represented high-profile clients alleging police brutality, including against Chicago.—
Alice Yin,
Chicago Tribune,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Barbarity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/barbarity. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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