as in harshly
in a manner so as to cause loss or suffering
the prisoners were treated brutally at the hands of the guards
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of brutally
Scott’s death has been compared to that of Matthew Shepard, the young gay American brutally beaten and left to die in Wyoming, in 1998, who became an emblem for a reckoning with anti-gay violence.
—
Eren Orbey, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
Then came the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, only two years after her native Belarus, still a Kremlin satellite, brutally crushed its democracy movement.
—New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
Super-Humans) and brutally introduced to a new world, Salvation.
—Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 10 Oct. 2025
Ketchum’s Family was found brutally murdered within these walls along with his body by suicide in 1899.
—Andy Humbles, Nashville Tennessean, 9 Oct. 2025
Meredith gets brutally attacked by a patient and spends most of the episode unable to talk.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2025
In that memorable segment, Strowman brutally assaulted Reigns backstage, leaving him in need of medical attention.
—Andrew Ravens, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
Both brews contain plenty of flavor on their own, but stop well short of the brutally hoppy IPAs that, though some adore, others might argue go down about as smoothly as pine tar.
—Bradley Hohulin, IndyStar, 6 Oct. 2025
When a young woman is brutally murdered in a remote town, a determined female detective is thrust into the case.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 6 Oct. 2025
Eren Orbey, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
Then came the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, only two years after her native Belarus, still a Kremlin satellite, brutally crushed its democracy movement.
—New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
Super-Humans) and brutally introduced to a new world, Salvation.
—Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 10 Oct. 2025
Ketchum’s Family was found brutally murdered within these walls along with his body by suicide in 1899.
—Andy Humbles, Nashville Tennessean, 9 Oct. 2025
Meredith gets brutally attacked by a patient and spends most of the episode unable to talk.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2025
In that memorable segment, Strowman brutally assaulted Reigns backstage, leaving him in need of medical attention.
—Andrew Ravens, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
Both brews contain plenty of flavor on their own, but stop well short of the brutally hoppy IPAs that, though some adore, others might argue go down about as smoothly as pine tar.
—Bradley Hohulin, IndyStar, 6 Oct. 2025
When a young woman is brutally murdered in a remote town, a determined female detective is thrust into the case.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 6 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brutally
Adverb
-
The Justices have also harshly criticized lower-court judges who have blocked the Administration’s actions, including Young, who went so far as to apologize from the bench.—
Emma Green,
New Yorker,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Despite those concessions, the law has been harshly criticized by Neighbors for a Better California, a group that advocates for preservation of single-family neighborhoods.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
In prison, she was often severely mistreated.—
Michael Collins,
USA Today,
14 Oct. 2025
-
But considering that the injury ended Shrader's season and severely affected his kicking leg, was a fine enough?—
Anne Erickson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
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
-
On an oppressively hot Friday in July, plumes of smoke curl up from Arnolds Field.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
15 Aug. 2025
Adverb
-
That youthful connection continued through other hosts who took over NBC's Late Night franchise, from the serious silliness of Conan O'Brien to the hard-partying glad-handing of Jimmy Fallon.—
Eric Deggans,
NPR,
13 Oct. 2025
-
But generally, football fans are blessed to have multiple rankings working hard to pump out data.—
Dan Albano,
Oc Register,
13 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Brutally.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brutally. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share