as in harshly
in a manner so as to cause loss or suffering
the prisoners were treated brutally at the hands of the guards
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Recent Examples of brutally
The turnaround from the end of the college season to the first day of WNBA training camp is always brutally short, but the players drafted in 2026 get even less time than is typical.
—
Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 16 Apr. 2026
Hastings became known for implementing a unique and controversial culture of radical transparency, where employee evaluations are brutally candid and average performances can be grounds for termination.
—Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026
But until a mid-play reveal that Nick didn’t do it, Jacki must assume, or at least consider, that she’s being wooed by a man who brutally raped and murdered a young mother of two.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 15 Apr. 2026
On July 12, 1980, Susan Vesey's husband came home from work to find his wife brutally killed the day after her 21st birthday.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
After four more Mayday members are brutally killed, the reality of her situation sets in.
—Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 15 Apr. 2026
The path to the C-suite can feel long, uncertain—and at times, brutally competitive.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 14 Apr. 2026
The jury described it as a rare film that stays lodged in memory, calling it both eerie and brutally beautiful.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 Apr. 2026
Can manufacturing, whether tinplate or aluminum, is brutally competitive.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 12 Apr. 2026
Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 16 Apr. 2026
Hastings became known for implementing a unique and controversial culture of radical transparency, where employee evaluations are brutally candid and average performances can be grounds for termination.
—Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026
But until a mid-play reveal that Nick didn’t do it, Jacki must assume, or at least consider, that she’s being wooed by a man who brutally raped and murdered a young mother of two.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 15 Apr. 2026
On July 12, 1980, Susan Vesey's husband came home from work to find his wife brutally killed the day after her 21st birthday.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
After four more Mayday members are brutally killed, the reality of her situation sets in.
—Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 15 Apr. 2026
The path to the C-suite can feel long, uncertain—and at times, brutally competitive.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 14 Apr. 2026
The jury described it as a rare film that stays lodged in memory, calling it both eerie and brutally beautiful.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 Apr. 2026
Can manufacturing, whether tinplate or aluminum, is brutally competitive.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 12 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brutally
Adverb
-
At a time when Erdogan is struggling to resolve the country's growing economic problems, responding to Netanyahu's statements harshly scores points domestically and burnishes his strong leader image.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Knowing that any unauthorized demonstrations are harshly suppressed, activists have tried to organize authorized rallies, plastered posters on walls and notice boards, and filed lawsuits.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Advertisement Now in its eighth week, the conflict has severely disrupted global energy markets.—
Gemma Fox,
Time,
19 Apr. 2026
-
Cher is again seeking a conservatorship over her son Elijah Blue Allman, alleging that his drug addiction has severely affected his mental health and led to mounting debt.—
Kayla Hayempour,
NBC news,
19 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
The first of the four chapters is an oppressively gray-toned, narratively diffuse spy thriller, set amid the mists of what appears to be the Second World War.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
18 Dec. 2025
-
The second planet from the sun has a completely inhospitable surface, with temperatures reaching 863 degrees Fahrenheit (462 degrees Celsius) and a crushing pressure underneath an oppressively thick atmosphere.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
1 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
For Rory McIlroy, the trek toward getting a second Masters championship got a little bit harder.—
Rod Beard,
AJC.com,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Some hurts Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen never returned because of a lower-body injury after being knocked hard into the boards by Hartman late in the first period.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Brutally.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brutally. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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