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
Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026
Whatever transformation occurs reflects the brute metamorphosis of character into symbol, not the fullness of realism or the vividness of fiction.
—Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
Brian Truitt, USA Today, 4 Mar. 2026
Datebook Picks By contrast, the play’s notorious brute, her brother-in-law Stanley (Brad Koed), is very un-brutish in his mastery of social graces.
—Theater Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for brute
Adjective
Jeannot is both a tactician and a juggernaut, blending technique with his brute strength.
—Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026
Whatever transformation occurs reflects the brute metamorphosis of character into symbol, not the fullness of realism or the vividness of fiction.
—Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
Noun
While Buckley's Bride finds new agency on their road trip, Bale’s Frank is a complementary partner-in-crime, exuding tough-guy swagger but also man-child innocence as a vulnerable brute with a poet’s soul.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 4 Mar. 2026
Datebook Picks By contrast, the play’s notorious brute, her brother-in-law Stanley (Brad Koed), is very un-brutish in his mastery of social graces.
—Theater Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for brute
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brute
Adjective
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Rachel is doing her best to be supportive as Ian is desperate to learn if his ex-wife, Wahionaweh, and their son, Swiftest of Lizards, survived the brutal massacre of their village and so many others.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
10 Apr. 2026
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On the thermal side, flat-wire coils and cooling fins reduce energy losses and help the motor hold its peak output longer on brutal climbs, rather than quietly throttling back when things get hot.—
Omar Kardoudi
April 10,
New Atlas,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Instead, Kahan occupies a funny spot in the pop-music cosmos—music for people who own too much performance fleece to embrace the bombast of Taylor Swift but aren’t quite feral enough for the cacophony of Geese.—
Amanda Petrusich,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
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Falkner has lived in Mesquite's Falcons Lair neighborhood for 17 years, and the entire time, he's dealt with feral hogs.—
Briseida Holguin,
CBS News,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The shelter receives 30 calls and emails a day from people finding animals on the street or giving up their pets, which has become more common as South Floridians struggle with higher costs of living.—
Amanda Rosa
April 9,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The Red List of Threatened Species is a comprehensive information source on the global conservation status of animal, fungi and plant species.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Design There’s a reason James Bond villains chase 007’s Aston Martin in fleets of black Defenders.—
John Scott Lewinski,
Robb Report,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Wagner had only occasional presence and went MIA for awhile, coming across as a shady character and a possible villain who was set up as a potential love interest for Morgan early on.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The famed African American journalist investigated lynchings across the South and wrote about the savage incidents that the white press had already explained away.—
Case Thorp,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 Apr. 2026
-
The loss of books is minor, almost trivial, in light of all the horrors and violence unleashed by this senseless war, but the potential loss of these books is a sad reminder that we’re all affected and implicated in America’s savage flailings.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Unlike other crimes that use hacking or social engineering scams to access victims’ funds remotely, wrench attacks rely on more brutish methods of coercion like kidnapping and torture.—
Megan Cassidy,
San Francisco Chronicle,
3 Apr. 2026
-
The San Diego task force now en route to the Middle East is composed of three bulky and brutish vessels.—
Gary Robbins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Clements said the mistaken identification may have happened because the creature decomposed and lost its telltale shell before it was fossilized, complicating identification.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
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Artists are often secretive creatures, hesitant to disclose too much, and none more so than Marcel Duchamp, who spun slipperiness into an art form.—
Alex Greenberger,
ARTnews.com,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The wereboar growled next to Black Pudding, a hulking vicious monster, both focused on ripping Puck and Cordelia to shreds.—
Jaclyn Cosgrove,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
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Daniel Bernhardt is Deathstalker, a legendary swordsman stuck with a cursed amulet who befriends swamp monsters and teams with a mini wizard (voiced by Patton Oswalt) to stop a dark magic from ruling the land.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Brute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brute. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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