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

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

Meanwhile, the style of play in the NHL became faster and a little less bruising than it had been in the aughts—and far less brutal than it was in Gretzky’s heyday.

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In Queens, however, the 22-year-old Alcaraz has played like a man on a mission—more focused, more efficient, and more brutal than ever before.

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Nick faced harassment—and a brutal assault—for his Latin heritage.

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He liked Honore, despite the man’s chosen profession; the brutal manner of his death inspires Maigret to pursue his killer, rather than the team that has been robbing Paris banks with apparent impunity.

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Mr. Ambar does not spare us the horrifying details of each brutal mob act: As Lincoln described one scene, “dead men were seen literally dangling from the boughs of trees” like “Spanish moss.”

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Related Words

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