1
as in harsh
difficult to endure
brutal hard labor in the hot sun
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cruel
having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others
a brutal tyrant who drove his country to revolt
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in brute
having or showing the nature and appetites of a lower animal
a coarse, brutal man who has no sense of what it means to be refined or sensitive or cultured
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of brutal
The last 12 months for WWE star Drew McIntyre have been brutal – and that may be an understatement.
—
Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 10 July 2025
The multipart series called attention to California’s brutal, unregulated and lucrative puppy market.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2025
That was brutal, and in like song three or something.
—Madison E. Goldberg, People.com, 9 July 2025
The Royals lost to the Dodgers on Friday night, a brutal 5-4 loss as Jac Caglianone grounded into a double play to conclude the 11th straight home loss.
—Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 28 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for brutal
Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 10 July 2025
The multipart series called attention to California’s brutal, unregulated and lucrative puppy market.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2025
That was brutal, and in like song three or something.
—Madison E. Goldberg, People.com, 9 July 2025
The Royals lost to the Dodgers on Friday night, a brutal 5-4 loss as Jac Caglianone grounded into a double play to conclude the 11th straight home loss.
—Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 28 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for brutal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brutal
Adjective
-
Unlike harsher retinoids, this one is gentle enough for sensitive skin.—
Simon Hill,
Wired News,
10 July 2025
-
The biggest change was the introduction of the punitive second apron, which imposed harsh team-building restrictions on teams that crossed said line.—
Bryan Toporek,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
Adjective
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Each of us should demand our local leaders challenge every one of the immoral and cruel state laws and the Gestapo-like raids and inhumane detainments carried out by ICE agents.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 July 2025
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Even critics who considered his policies cruel and racist – and there were many – admitted that behind the bluster there was the charm of a true believer.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
12 July 2025
Adjective
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In his work at the Stanford Center on Stress and Health, Spiegel has shown that hypnosis can lower pain, regulate stress responses, and help reorient goal-setting through mental framing, not brute force.—
Alexander Puutio,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
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The truth is, most phones get compromised not by brute force, but by everyday tricks that prey on users' habits and software gaps.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
4 July 2025
Adjective
-
The tougher policy changes are adding to the minors’ trauma, advocates say.—
Nicol León,
AZCentral.com,
22 July 2025
-
Stellantis' loss, versus a 5.6 billion euro net profit a year earlier, underscores the tough challenges for new CEO Antonio Filosa, who was appointed in May after a disastrous performance in the company's crucial U.S. market in 2024 forced the ouster of former boss Carlos Tavares.—
Giulio Piovaccari,
Freep.com,
21 July 2025
Adjective
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Stanton, demonstrating that there’s still plenty of power in his vicious swing, sent the pitch 401 feet the other way at 106.1 mph.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
9 July 2025
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The author presents a vicious takedown of George Washington.—
Chadd Scott,
Forbes.com,
9 July 2025
Adjective
-
Since seizing control of Afghanistan in August 2021, the group has implemented a string of oppressive measures against women and girls, even cracking down on the sound of women’s voices in public.—
Catherine Nicholls,
CNN Money,
8 July 2025
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Others reject the portrayal of federal actions as oppressive, suggesting deployments like those in Los Angeles prioritize national security and immigration enforcement.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 July 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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Football is certainly another, which is why rapper Kendrick Lamar’s willingness to hold a mirror to America during his Super Bowl halftime performance was so searing in its power.—
Andrea Williams,
The Tennessean,
2 July 2025
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Netflix continues to expand its reality TV universe, with The Ultimatum franchise returning for another searing test of love and commitment.—
Allison DeGrushe Published,
EW.com,
2 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Brutal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brutal. Accessed 24 Jul. 2025.
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