1
as in brutal
having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others
brute attacks on innocent civilians
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in feral
having or showing the nature and appetites of a lower animal
a man of brute instinct, he deals with conflict the only way he knows how—by physical force
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in animal
one of the lower animals as distinguished from human beings
it is a fundamental sense of right and wrong that separates us from the brutes
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in villain
a mean, evil, or unprincipled person
leave him alone, you brute!
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of brute
Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 15 May 2026
Its calling card is Arthur Grigoryan’s basturma brisket sandwich, a brute, big enough for two, that gained a following in previous years when Yerord Mas (then spelled III Mas) was in pop-up phase.
—Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2026
Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 16 Apr. 2026
That’s happened in several Mid Atlantic rivers, but in the absence of larger brutes like blues and flathead, channels will thrive and can break the 15-pound mark.
—Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for brute
Adjective
The goal wasn’t to shape or combat any one particular narrative, but to complicate the entire story through brute force.
—Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 15 May 2026
Its calling card is Arthur Grigoryan’s basturma brisket sandwich, a brute, big enough for two, that gained a following in previous years when Yerord Mas (then spelled III Mas) was in pop-up phase.
—Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2026
Noun
And what better way to force that out of her than to put her up against a brute of a man who has all the confidence in the world?
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 16 Apr. 2026
That’s happened in several Mid Atlantic rivers, but in the absence of larger brutes like blues and flathead, channels will thrive and can break the 15-pound mark.
—Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for brute
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brute
Adjective
-
Bichette is off to a brutal start, Francisco Lindor’s spring hamate injury may have affected his power even before his calf strain knocked him out for the last month, and Jorge Polanco has barely been on the field.—
Tim Britton,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
-
Hounded by a loud, impatient Eisenhower and faced with the very real evidence that a brutal trio of storms will make an early June invasion impossible, Stagg is torn between doing his duty and, well, doing his duty.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
Managed and feral honey bees also played critical roles in pollinating crops brought over by European settlers, including apple and cherry trees and clover, which provided food for livestock and their communities.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 May 2026
-
In this Gallic Neverland, there’s not a safety helmet (or nervous parent) in sight, which admittedly adds to the film’s feral energy.—
Beatrice Loayza,
Variety,
25 May 2026
Noun
-
The animal first gained attention after a local farmer noticed the resemblance.—
Michael Sinkewicz,
FOXNews.com,
4 June 2026
-
New World screwworm, which burrows into the flesh of living animals, is a pest that can affect livestock and cause economic losses in the agricultural sector.—
Justina Lee,
CNBC,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
The iconic villain, portrayed by Robert Mitchum in 1962’s Cape Fear and by Robert De Niro in Martin Scorsese’s 1991 version, is back on screen in the new Apple TV adaptation.—
Kirsten Chuba,
HollywoodReporter,
3 June 2026
-
Dead-end conflict is where the hero and the villain, the good guys and the bad guys, essentially never have any opportunity for movement or reconciliation at the end of the story.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
Their twiggy legs and bony frames exposed in bathing suits, the kids do indeed look extra vulnerable within the film’s savage landscape.—
Beatrice Loayza,
Variety,
25 May 2026
-
Sure, sci-fi can be bleak — there's no end to the cosmic horrors and savage alien races that game developers can conjure up — but that almost always comes as a result of humanity's success in space.—
Ian Stokes,
Space.com,
24 May 2026
Adjective
-
But when a brutish — and handsome — newcomer named Sir Tristam defeats Sir Palomides in a tournament, Princess Isode finds her plans thwarted.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
29 May 2026
-
Life already seems tough enough for the boy, who lives with his dad (Dimitri Colas), mom (Aurélie Vassort) and rather brutish older brother (Rod Paradot) on a farm that can no longer make ends meet from day to day.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
22 May 2026
Noun
-
Female screwworms lay hundreds of eggs in the wounds and openings of warm-blooded creatures, allowing their larvae to feast on the living animals, causing deep, festering, life-threatening wounds.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
3 June 2026
-
But Hilton is likely to hammer Becerra as a creature of the state’s Democratic establishment.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
Honestly, who can afford a trip to a monster festival this summer?—
Jed Gottlieb,
Boston Herald,
31 May 2026
-
Being bitten by Pirate Clark may have been a manifestation of Clark's deepest emotional wounds and desires — or maybe the monster just needed a meal.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
30 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Brute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brute. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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