brutal

[broot-l]

adjective

1. savage; cruel; inhuman.

   a brutal attack on the village.

   Synonyms: barbarous, brutish, ferocious
   Antonyms: kind

2. crude; coarse.

   brutal language.

   Synonyms: uncivil, rough, rude, gross

3. harsh; ferocious.

   brutal criticism; brutal weather.

4. taxing, demanding, or exhausting.

   They're having a brutal time making ends meet.

5. irrational; unreasoning.

6. of or relating to lower animals.

   Synonyms: animal, beastly, bestial
   Antonyms: human

brutal

/ ˈbruːtəl /

adjective

1. cruel; vicious; savage

2. extremely honest or coarse in speech or manner

3. harsh; severe; extreme

   brutal cold

Other Word Forms

• brutally adverb
• brutality noun
• hyperbrutal adjective
• hyperbrutally adverb
• nonbrutal adjective
• nonbrutally adverb
• overbrutal adjective
• overbrutally adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of brutal¹

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Middle French, from Medieval Latin brūtālis; equivalent to brute ¹ + -al ¹

Synonym Study

See cruel.

Example Sentences

In war he states the brutal fact, then the explanation: “Both legs stuck out awkwardly. He had been hit in the spine.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

But critics have lavished praise on the record, calling it a "jaw-dropping" and "brutal" act of "personal exorcism", while praising Allen's gift for melody, on songs that span flamenco, bossa nova, and "infectious pop".

Read more on BBC

Romance is a bruising, brutal—and even nausea-inducing—business in “Let’s Love!,” a flimsy and forgettable evening of three ostensibly comic short plays by Ethan Coen at the Atlantic Theater Company.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The company withdrew its outlook in July, triggering a brutal selloff, before issuing new guidance later that month that was reaffirmed in September.

Read more on Barron's

In the Senate, Rubio backed Israel’s brutal assault on Palestinian civilians, although at one point he voted against more military aid, saying the U.S. needed more money for border enforcement.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• barbarous 
• callous 
• ferocious 
• harsh 
• inhuman 
• merciless 
• rough 
• rude 
• ruthless 
• savage 
• severe 
• vicious