brute 1 of 2

adjective

ˈbrüt How to pronounce brute (audio)
Definition of brutenext
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

brute

2 of 2

noun

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

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 brute
Adjective
Its evolution and that of the surrounding estate have been determined by border disputes between papal states and grand duchies, by World Wars, and, in the second half of the 20th century, by brute economics, industrialization, and urbanization. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Sep. 2026 There’s a lot of brute force and aggression and anger and emotion, and women, for years, have worked on processing all of those things. — Tom Roland, Billboard, 10 Sep. 2026
Noun
Even the consumer-level codes that encrypt your online banking are so hard to break that every computer on the planet working together would need longer than the age of the universe to brute-force them apart. — David M. Ewalt, Scientific American, 19 May 2026 Oscillating between a bumbling brute and an ironic ignoramus, Marvel Studios sees the God of Thunder more like the God of Blunder, kicking out the knees of the steady 2011 film in favour of single-digit IQ humour. — Sergio Pereira, Space.com, 6 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for brute
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brute
  1. brutal
  2. feral
  3. animal
  4. villain
  5. savage
  6. brutish
  7. creature
  8. monster
Adjective
  • Especially for a team that's played a brutal schedule through the first six weeks.
    — Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The Broncos get a long weekend off after their brutal six-week opening stretch.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of brutal
Adjective
  • While uptight Elinor excels at hiding her feelings for the similarly taciturn Edward, Marianne goes wild (nearly feral, really) when new neighbor Willoughby saves her from physical injury (literally sweeping her off her feet and a wincing ankle).
    — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The murder of the family is graphic enough, but what happens to Ethan and Ivy is far more perverse, especially when Ivy’s apparently dead body is defiled by one of the feral desert gang members.
    — Damon Wise, Deadline, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of feral
Noun
  • That contact was evident during the AP’s trip aboard the F/V Progress, when Tanner crabs and basket stars — animals that live on the seafloor — came up in the net.
    — Annika Hammerschlag, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Rich brown leather is a great way to break up a cool denim-on-denim look, while a pop of animal print goes perfectly with a pair of brown denim shorts.
    — Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of animal
Noun
  • Rival fans were quick to jump all over this fact, given that both the Panthers and the Tkachuk brothers were seen as polarizing villains throughout the NHL.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Is that the most difficult thing for you as the showrunner of a political show today — a president as a villain?
    — Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of villain
Adjective
  • Onscreen, this ethnic conflict allowed Ken-san and other kimonoed gangsters to be presented as pure, sincere, patriotic heroes fighting for traditional Japanese values against savage aliens as well as local, gun-toting yakuza.
    — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The Indian pilot who fought off a savage attack by his copilot and helped prevent an apparent hijack of a Flydubai plane heading to Israel with more than 170 people on board is being hailed as a hero.
    — Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of savage
Adjective
  • Greengrass surrounds Garfield with actors who deliver bigger performances, like Jarvis as the brutish but shrewd Tyler, and Bell as the fervent Ball.
    — Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Anna, the film suggests, admires her husband warts and all, perhaps because there’s an enticing authenticity in all his inadequacies and brutish ways.
    — Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of brutish
Noun
  • Meanwhile, second-unit director Peter Ramsey worked alongside stunt performers, with some creature interactions achieved through surprisingly simple physical stand-ins.
    — Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Duffield also watched video of an autopsy of a large squid to figure out how to approach his lead character’s encounter with a similar creature in the early stages of his nightmare.
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of creature
Noun
  • Diagnose the monster before deciding which mind and which move are required to outwit it.
    — Jeff DeGraff, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
  • That led him to snowy Deadwood, South Dakota, and a turn as local guide Gil Jackson in the horror heist movie Beast From Haunted Cave (1959), produced by Roger’s brother, Gene Corman, and featuring Chris Robinson as the monster.
    — Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of monster

Browse Nearby Words

brutally
brute
brutes
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Cite this Entry

“Brute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brute. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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