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
Last weekend was especially brutal; the distraction of Halloween and a lack of new releases resulted in the slowest frame of the entire year.
—
Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 5 Nov. 2025
During the brutal winter that followed, Allied casualties mounted at such an unsustainable clip that European Theater headquarters put out a call for Black volunteers to serve in white rifle companies at the front.
—Time, 5 Nov. 2025
Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli all held up 10s, which made Flav's 9 especially brutal.
—Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Nov. 2025
Their non‑conference schedule is loaded with high‑profile matchups, and their SEC slate remains brutal.
—Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brutal
Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 5 Nov. 2025
During the brutal winter that followed, Allied casualties mounted at such an unsustainable clip that European Theater headquarters put out a call for Black volunteers to serve in white rifle companies at the front.
—Time, 5 Nov. 2025
Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli all held up 10s, which made Flav's 9 especially brutal.
—Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Nov. 2025
Their non‑conference schedule is loaded with high‑profile matchups, and their SEC slate remains brutal.
—Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brutal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brutal
Adjective
-
There's a lot of harsh words and harsh things that get said about people.—
Ryan Canfield,
FOXNews.com,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Applying it at the base of the plant before the first frost can protect the roots from harsh cold and keep the soil from freezing.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
That is unacceptably cruel, corrupt, and undemocratic.—
Brie Stimson,
FOXNews.com,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Instead, she was stripped of her bronze medal after a late score inquiry—a ruling that still feels cruel for an athlete who had delivered the performance of her life.—
Essence,
Essence,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Instead of brute-force computation or countless lines of custom code, AI uses advanced algorithms to spot patterns, organize massive datasets, and highlight issues that might otherwise take weeks of manual work to uncover.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Where its larger cousin evolved for brute strength with thick legs and a bone-crushing bite, Nanotyrannus took a different approach to hunting prey.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
This loss had to be especially tough for the Jayhawks, considering a controversial holding call on KU changed the momentum of the game.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
9 Nov. 2025
-
However, their record at the Etihad makes for tough reading.—
Andy Jones,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
But his preposterously wide net, his endless minions, and his vicious style left us no choice but to scale back on the data center theme.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Tommy's new relationship with Mireya Garcia (Carmela Zumbado) has sparked a face-off with her brother and the leader of the vicious drug gang Insane Princes, Miguel (Manuel Eduardo Ramirez).—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
These political executions are a callous attempt by the authorities to frighten and silence an increasingly restive population no longer willing to accept their corrupt and oppressive rule.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Unlike the oppressive governments that have been affiliated with the socialist movement, modern-day democratic socialism strictly advocates for policies that can be enacted without threatening the power of the people.—
Meredith Kile,
PEOPLE,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
The Edmund Fitzgerald was caught in a savage storm with hurricane-force winds around 100-mile-an-hour and waves up to 60 feet, crashing down on the freighter every four to eight seconds, says Bacon.—
NPR,
NPR,
6 Nov. 2025
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Here, spiritual infractions are met with savage physical punishment and some of the more grotesque images in recent horror memory (which, as the genre has become ever more popular and emboldened, is seriously saying something).—
Dennis Perkins,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The searing drama follows the titular socialite (Tessa Thompson) over the course of one opulent, suffocating party.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Emergency responders worked around the clock to locate survivors, enduring searing heat and toxic fumes.—
Josh Green,
Time,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Brutal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brutal. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
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