1
as in harsh
difficult to endure
brutal hard labor in the hot sun
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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
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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of brutal
The high-profile summit ended without a deal to end, or even pause, the brutal conflict — the largest land war in Europe since 1945 — which has raged for more than three years.
—
Michelle L. Price, Twin Cities, 15 Aug. 2025
It's been a brutal year for the sector, which is down more than 3.5% in 2025 even when including Wednesday's more than 1% advance.
—Jeff Marks, CNBC, 13 Aug. 2025
Russia and Ukraine As previous reports have done, this year's Human Rights Report sharply criticizes Russia over its brutal invasion of Ukraine.
—Shannon K. Kingston, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2025
Paige Spiranac voices her feelings after Tommy Fleetwood's brutal loss at the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
—Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brutal
Michelle L. Price, Twin Cities, 15 Aug. 2025
It's been a brutal year for the sector, which is down more than 3.5% in 2025 even when including Wednesday's more than 1% advance.
—Jeff Marks, CNBC, 13 Aug. 2025
Russia and Ukraine As previous reports have done, this year's Human Rights Report sharply criticizes Russia over its brutal invasion of Ukraine.
—Shannon K. Kingston, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2025
Paige Spiranac voices her feelings after Tommy Fleetwood's brutal loss at the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
—Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brutal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brutal
Adjective
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The report didn’t elaborate on that treatment but studies and surveys have previously highlighted the military’s notoriously harsh conditions.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
15 Aug. 2025
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After weeks of acrimony, concern and harsh statements, the dispute over who will control the River Forest Civic Center building at 8020 W. Madison seems to be headed toward a resolution.—
Bob Skolnik,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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That is a particularly egregious example of how the Trump Administration has been gratuitously cruel to the Sudanese.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
5 Aug. 2025
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Stacy, Tim’s wife, also died of pancreatic cancer five months later in February of 2024, a cruel hand for a family that for years had gone above and beyond in their efforts to raise money and awareness for cancer research.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
3 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Hive Systems ran its testing using a black box approach, essentially starting from scratch to brute force an attack.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
6 Aug. 2025
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Efficiency is key in both Kung Fu and business, emphasizing automation and delegation over brute force and long hours.—
JJ Rosen,
The Tennessean,
15 July 2025
Adjective
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Sanctions have roiled Russia's economy and Trump could use tougher measures as leverage over Putin, said Richard Portes, professor of economics at London Business School.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Aug. 2025
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The logistics of pushing autonomous vessels out into the deep Pacific is tough.—
Craig Hooper,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Feeling profoundly betrayed and abandoned by David, Rebecca’s loyalty lies with the vicious and conniving Juno, the only family she’s known for the last decade.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
13 Aug. 2025
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Nothing could possibly go wrong with all the vicious alien specimens on board, right?—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
12 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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What was mostly missing was the occasional cool front that pushes out the most oppressive heat and humidity.—
Staff And Wire Reports,
Boston Herald,
10 Aug. 2025
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Philadelphia had 29 days, Washington had 27 days and Baltimore had 24 days where the highest dew point simmered to at least 75 degrees, which even the the weather service office in Tampa calls oppressive, according to weather service data.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
10 Aug. 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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The pans have spacious surface areas for better searing and browning, and the cooking surface isn’t particularly sticky either.—
Wilder Davies,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
30 July 2025
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About a dozen have visited or have plans to make stops in the early primary states, such as Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, 60, who in April caught attention for delivering a searing speech in New Hampshire aimed at 'do-nothing' Democrats.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
2 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Brutal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brutal. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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