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
Relevance
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
Srishti Gupta, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2025
But recent history suggests that its mission would have less to do with proffering aid than with complementing the Kremlin’s liberal use of brute force.
—Tetiana Kotelnykova, The Atlantic, 22 Oct. 2025
Adam Solomons, IndieWire, 28 Aug. 2025
Power is sent to the rear wheels via six-speed manual or an optional 10-speed automatic (a $2,275 option), and with a little over 4,100 pounds to haul, this brute will click off a 0-60 mph run in just 3.4 seconds, and on to the quarter mile mark in 11.4.
—Peter Nelson, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brute
Adjective
These experiments came after a deep-learning model sifted through possibilities to find high-probability candidates, a definitive transformation from brute-force searches typically favored in the past.
—Srishti Gupta, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2025
But recent history suggests that its mission would have less to do with proffering aid than with complementing the Kremlin’s liberal use of brute force.
—Tetiana Kotelnykova, The Atlantic, 22 Oct. 2025
Noun
Mihály is a brute who mistreats his mother.
—Adam Solomons, IndieWire, 28 Aug. 2025
Power is sent to the rear wheels via six-speed manual or an optional 10-speed automatic (a $2,275 option), and with a little over 4,100 pounds to haul, this brute will click off a 0-60 mph run in just 3.4 seconds, and on to the quarter mile mark in 11.4.
—Peter Nelson, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brute
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brute
Adjective
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Recently, the vast majority have been coming from Sudan, embroiled in a brutal civil war which has displaced millions.—
Mick Krever,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
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Musically, Lee took on the air of a woman revealing intimate truths about herself one year at a time, shedding layers as a way of rewarding patience with honesty, no matter how brutal.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Until the twentieth century, primates were considered too big, feral, and expensive for most experiments; researchers favored guinea pigs, frogs, rabbits, and dogs.—
Ava Kofman,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
-
When the tools get cheap enough, imagination goes feral.—
Bob Bonniol,
Rolling Stone,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Elaine said the song resonates with her because of her dedication to raising awareness for animal rescue charities.—
Brianne Tracy,
PEOPLE,
5 Nov. 2025
-
In animal trials, the devices successfully navigated through the circulatory system and reached target brain regions autonomously, delivering localized stimulation with micrometer precision.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Yet if the Dodgers are to be cast as villains from the Book of Samuel, Toronto brought to the fight far more than pebbles.—
Andy McCullough,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
-
The family moved to Hollywood 10 years later, and Gene Lockhart worked steadily as a character actor, usually in avuncular roles, sometimes as a villain.—
NPR,
NPR,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The Edmund Fitzgerald was caught in a savage storm with hurricane-force winds around 100-mile-an-hour and waves up to 60 feet, crashing down on the freighter every four to eight seconds, says Bacon.—
NPR,
NPR,
6 Nov. 2025
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Here, spiritual infractions are met with savage physical punishment and some of the more grotesque images in recent horror memory (which, as the genre has become ever more popular and emboldened, is seriously saying something).—
Dennis Perkins,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The deeper problem is that Gaza has become a Hobbesian free-for-all, where life is likely to be nasty, brutish, and short for the unfortunate residents caught in the crossfire.—
Bobby Ghosh,
Time,
16 Oct. 2025
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Confirmed are the shapeshifting Mystique, the brutish Omega Red, at least one giant mutant-hunting Sentinel, and military organization the Reavers.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
24 Sep. 2025
Noun
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On Tuesday night the onstage performer inhabiting the creature created by Tahra Zafar was Arti Shah, and it was voiced by James Hameed.—
Baz Bamigboye,
Deadline,
5 Nov. 2025
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Domenic Biagini, who owns and operates Gone Whale Watching San Diego, captured footage of the massive group of dolphins, estimating that there were between 2,000 and 7,000 of the sea creatures swimming together.—
Michael Nied,
PEOPLE,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Geryon who is metaphorically and perhaps in reality a monster is infatuated with Herakles, but the internal world of Geryon is so thoroughly inspected.—
Amber McBride,
Literary Hub,
5 Nov. 2025
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Mundane loot like monster teeth and eyeballs all have different effects when paired with a basic attack, making for a mind-boggling number of combinations for how to dole out punishment.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
4 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Brute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brute. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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