Synonyms of brutish

brutish

adjective

ˈbrü-tish 

as in brute

having or showing the nature and appetites of a lower animal

as the months of recurrent combat dragged on, the daily existence of the soldiers became increasingly brutish

Synonyms & Similar Words

• brute
• brutal
• feral
• animalistic
• bestial
• savage
• beastly
• subhuman
• cruel
• animal
• vicious
• swinish
• physical
• sensual
• coarse
• ferine
• rude
• corporeal
• crass
• sadistic
• barbaric
• barbarous
• corporal
• vulgar
• carnal
• heartless
• inhumane
• bodily
• uncouth
• crude
• uncultured
• fleshly
• gross
• wanton
• unrefined
• uncultivated
• ill-bred
• lowbred

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• noble
• sublime
• chivalrous
• gallant
• great
• high
• magnanimous
• lofty
• elevated
• spiritual
• lordly
• angelic
• high-minded
• benevolent
• kind
• compassionate
• beneficent
• kindly
• greathearted
• genteel
• cultured
• polished
• refined
• kindhearted
• softhearted
• good-hearted
• cultivated
• benignant
• tenderhearted
• well-bred

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective brutish differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of brutish are bestial, brutal, and feral. While all these words mean "characteristic of an animal in nature, action, or instinct," brutish stresses likeness to an animal in low intelligence, in base appetites, and in behavior based on instinct.

brutish stupidity

In what contexts can bestial take the place of brutish?

In some situations, the words bestial and brutish are roughly equivalent. However, bestial suggests a state of degradation unworthy of humans and fit only for beasts.

bestial depravity

When is brutal a more appropriate choice than brutish?

The meanings of brutal and brutish largely overlap; however, brutal applies to people, their acts, or their words and suggests a lack of intelligence, feeling, or humanity.

a senseless and brutal war

When could feral be used to replace brutish?

The words feral and brutish can be used in similar contexts, but feral suggests the savagery or ferocity of wild animals.

the struggle to survive unleashed their feral impulses

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of brutish

This is a brutish land where lives are lost and forgotten in a moment. —Rob Salkowitz, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025

In Budapest, after the uprising against the Communist regime, Andor — raised by his mother with idealized tales of his dead father — has his world turned upside down when a brutish man appears, claiming to be his true father. —Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 12 Sep. 2025

These hopes are shattered when a brutish stranger appears on the doorstep to take his family back. —Leo Barraclough, Variety, 12 Sep. 2025

With trigger-warning culture on the wane and a brutish permissiveness creeping back into society, corporate scolds have lost much of their power. —Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 2 Sep. 2025