1
as in animals
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
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2
as in villains
a mean, evil, or unprincipled person
leave him alone, you brute!
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of brutes
For much of his career, Skarsgård has gravitated toward characters who weaponize physical presence — Vikings, tech titans and mythic brutes whose power is immediately legible.
—
Clayton Davis, Variety, 9 Jan. 2026
Credit to producers Tim Zinnemann and George Linder for selecting a veritable array of brutes to wage battle with Arnold.
—Duane Byrge, HollywoodReporter, 13 Nov. 2025
An extermination of the brutes in the Middle East, presided over by Obama’s successors, has been followed by a swift cancellation by Trumpian decree of the postracial age.
—Pankaj Mishra, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Some are slow and heavy brutes that have tons of health while others are slightly but deal more damage.
—Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 18 Aug. 2025
Clayton Davis, Variety, 9 Jan. 2026
Credit to producers Tim Zinnemann and George Linder for selecting a veritable array of brutes to wage battle with Arnold.
—Duane Byrge, HollywoodReporter, 13 Nov. 2025
An extermination of the brutes in the Middle East, presided over by Obama’s successors, has been followed by a swift cancellation by Trumpian decree of the postracial age.
—Pankaj Mishra, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Some are slow and heavy brutes that have tons of health while others are slightly but deal more damage.
—Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 18 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brutes
Noun
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But Western brands often treat the zodiac like a rotating visual gimmick — 12 animals, 12 years, rinse and repeat.—
Yiling Pan,
Vogue,
17 Feb. 2026
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If there’s more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and less oxygen, for example, animals will be smaller and plants will thrive under those conditions, changing the balance of life.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Even the Dodgers, the cartoon villains of spending, kind of sort of have a limit.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
18 Feb. 2026
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Head coach Patty Gasso and her bunch remain the biggest villains in the Texas softball universe.—
Thomas Jones,
Austin American Statesman,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images The strategic trading card game Magic, which was created in 1993, typically features two players going head-to-head using custom decks of collectible cards to cast spells, unleash creatures or use artifacts to defeat their opponent.—
Sarah Whitten,
CNBC,
21 Feb. 2026
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Every morning, animal care manager Kim Carr stops by to prepare breakfast, scattering treats across their enclosures that are filled with fake tree trunks, log piles and hanging branches — an organic jungle gym for creatures that are born to climb and play.—
Shi En Kim,
AZCentral.com,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Or Irish, in a time when they were seen as savages by the Englishmen?—
Arushi Jacob,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Set between Seasons 2 and 3 of Stranger Things, Tales from ’85 returns viewers to Hawkins in the stark winter of 1985, where the original characters must confront new monsters and unravel a paranormal mystery that is terrorizing their town.—
Armando Tinoco,
Deadline,
11 Feb. 2026
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Other Avina Comics characters include a mariachi man who fights monsters using a silver string guitar and a luchador wrestler on a mission.—
Anna Ortiz,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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How can a small compete in a world of oversize jock beasts?—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
9 Feb. 2026
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All these beasts have been beneficial to Natalie's development, but we've been surprised by how wide-ranging those benefits have been.—
Bill Strickland,
Parents,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Thanks to the One Big Beautiful Bill, ICE has new funding to expand detention space to keep these criminals off American streets before they are removed for good from our communities.—
Jeff Capellini,
CBS News,
20 Feb. 2026
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His office is more concerned about arresting police officers than prosecuting criminals.—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
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There are sounds and shadows in the forest; the Devil, or devils, may be walking the earth.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
23 Jan. 2026
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And then there are the infernal workers who make sure that Lucifer’s realm runs smoothly, among them farting devils, giants in chains, and a flying monster with the body of a serpent and the face of an honest man.—
Eric Bulson,
The Atlantic,
2 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Brutes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brutes. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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