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
With six games remaining in the regular season — and five of them coming in a brutal seven-day span — the Knicks are suddenly getting healthy at a time when workload management becomes a daily dilemma.
—
Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 5 Apr. 2025
What followed was a shocking turn of events, as Cena, fresh from winning the Men's Elimination Chamber and securing a WrestleMania title shot against Rhodes, betrayed his long-standing heroic persona and launched a brutal attack on Rhodes.
—Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Apr. 2025
Another 10,000 will be laid off in a brutal restructuring, bringing the total HHS workforce from 82,000 to 62,000.
—Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 2 Apr. 2025
And often times that can yield lead to some brutal consequences.
—Jeryl Brunner, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brutal
Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 5 Apr. 2025
What followed was a shocking turn of events, as Cena, fresh from winning the Men's Elimination Chamber and securing a WrestleMania title shot against Rhodes, betrayed his long-standing heroic persona and launched a brutal attack on Rhodes.
—Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Apr. 2025
Another 10,000 will be laid off in a brutal restructuring, bringing the total HHS workforce from 82,000 to 62,000.
—Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 2 Apr. 2025
And often times that can yield lead to some brutal consequences.
—Jeryl Brunner, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brutal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brutal
Adjective
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Fancy Homi Body Lumbar $20 Amazon Corduroy is an excellent way to soften otherwise rigid-looking furniture with too many harsh lines.—
Audrey Lee,
Architectural Digest,
14 Mar. 2025
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For their part, MTV maintained that the show was meant to show other teenagers the harsh realities of becoming a teen parent.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
People.com,
13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Everybody else has no choice, really, other than to bring a cruel, narcissistic far-right leader to power.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2025
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Jokes that didn’t land with the squad The kids in Bad Influence say the pranks were the most cruel.—
Olivia B. Waxman,
Time,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Beyond that, Hamas’ only recourse to staying in power is brute force.—
TIME,
TIME,
23 Mar. 2025
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Rather than raids and brute force, the Trump administration must work with Congress on immigration reforms that benefit all Americans.—
Russel Honoré,
Newsweek,
5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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After some tough matchups in the Trader Joe’s Elite Sweets Tournament, one classic emerged as the champion.—
Lauren Thomann,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 Apr. 2025
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On others, such as birthright citizenship, the Administration has a tougher path to victory.—
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Softened by pride, Amber slinks away herself, albeit much more cutely than Gregory and accompanied by a vicious side-eye.—
Ile-Ife Okantah,
Vulture,
3 Apr. 2025
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The Kansas City Glory’s season opener was set to begin on Saturday afternoon, but viral sensation Elena Easley was sitting on the field, experiencing a vicious headache.—
PJ Green,
Kansas City Star,
30 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The two are later reunited in the forest, where Jonathan helps open Snow White’s eyes to the plight of ordinary people under oppressive rule.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA TODAY,
21 Mar. 2025
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Cryptocurrency mixers can be essential tools for individuals who value privacy, including those living under oppressive regimes, journalists, whistleblowers, and businesses that require confidentiality in their transactions.—
Becca Bratcher,
Forbes,
21 Mar. 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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Stir-frying is a method of quickly searing and cooking bite-size pieces of protein and vegetables in a splash of oil over high heat.—
Lynda Balslev,
Mercury News,
1 Apr. 2025
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Theron’s performance as the one-armed warrior Furiosa is one for the ages—stoic, searing and unbearably emotional beneath the surface.—
Travis Bean,
Forbes.com,
29 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Brutal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brutal. Accessed 18 Apr. 2025.
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