Synonyms of barbarous

barbarous

adjective

ˈbär-b(ə-)rəs 

1

as in brutal

having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others

a monarch resorting to whatever barbarous means he deemed necessary to protect his throne

Synonyms & Similar Words

• brutal
• cruel
• savage
• vicious
• ruthless
• barbaric
• inhuman
• murderous
• inhumane
• sadistic
• brute
• merciless
• atrocious
• heartless
• ferocious
• truculent
• fiendish
• oppressive
• harsh
• hateful
• pitiless
• wanton
• malicious
• butcherly
• sanguinary
• grim
• bloodthirsty
• red in tooth and claw
• unfeeling
• fell
• malignant
• vindictive
• spiteful
• malevolent
• hard-hearted
• cutthroat
• draconian
• malign
• sanguine
• ironhearted
• despiteful
• nasty
• mean
• catty
• stonyhearted
• draconic
• heavy-handed
• hardhanded

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• benign
• humane
• kind
• sympathetic
• compassionate
• warm
• benignant
• merciful
• charitable
• lenient
• kindhearted
• tender
• pitying
• good-hearted
• tenderhearted
• peaceful
• peaceable
• pacific
• warmhearted
• clement

2

as in barbarian

not civilized

an aunt who abhors barbarous behavior such as eating with your fingers

Synonyms & Similar Words

• barbarian
• rude
• savage
• wild
• primitive
• barbaric
• uncivilized
• uncultivated
• natural
• heathenish
• Neanderthal
• uncivil
• heathen
• crude
• rough
• coarse
• uncouth
• uncultured

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• civilized
• sophisticated
• humane
• enlightened
• cultured
• polite
• genteel
• polished
• refined
• well-bred
• urbane
• semicivilized

Synonym Chooser

How is the word barbarous different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of barbarous are cruel, ferocious, fierce, and savage. While all these words mean "showing fury or malignity in looks or actions," barbarous implies a ferocity or mercilessness regarded as unworthy of civilized people.

barbarous treatment of prisoners

When might cruel be a better fit than barbarous?

The words cruel and barbarous can be used in similar contexts, but cruel implies indifference to suffering and even positive pleasure in inflicting it.

the cruel jokes of schoolboys

When is ferocious a more appropriate choice than barbarous?

In some situations, the words ferocious and barbarous are roughly equivalent. However, ferocious implies extreme fierceness and unrestrained violence and brutality.

a ferocious dog

When is it sensible to use fierce instead of barbarous?

While in some cases nearly identical to barbarous, fierce applies to humans and animals that inspire terror because of their wild and menacing aspect or fury in attack.

fierce warriors

When can savage be used instead of barbarous?

The words savage and barbarous are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, savage implies the absence of inhibitions restraining civilized people filled with rage, lust, or other violent passion.

a savage criminal

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of barbarous

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

In the northwest suburbs of Minneapolis, a man dressed as a cop shot two Democratic lawmakers and their spouses, killing the DFL speaker of the House and her husband in a barbarous (and politically motivated) atrocity. — Jeffrey Blehar, National Review, 14 June 2025

The barbarous relic has glittered amidst the financial carnage. — Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025