brutal

[ broot-l ]

/ ˈbrut l /

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adjective

savage; cruel; inhuman: a brutal attack on the village.

crude; coarse: brutal language.

harsh; ferocious: brutal criticism; brutal weather.

taxing, demanding, or exhausting: They're having a brutal time making ends meet.

irrational; unreasoning.

of or relating to lower animals.

Nearby words

brussels griffon, brussels lace, brussels sprout, brussen, brut, brutal, brutalism, brutality, brutalize, brute, brute force

Origin of brutal

1425–75; late Middle English (< Middle French) < Medieval Latin brūtālis. See brute¹, -al¹

SYNONYMS FOR brutal

1 ferocious, brutish, barbarous.

2 gross, rude, rough, uncivil.

6 bestial, beastly, animal.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR brutal ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR brutal

1 kind.

6 human.

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Related forms

bru·tal·ly, adverbhy·per·bru·tal, adjectivehy·per·bru·tal·ly, adverbnon·bru·tal, adjective

non·bru·tal·ly, adverbo·ver·bru·tal, adjectiveo·ver·bru·tal·ly, adverb

Synonym study

1. See cruel.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for brutally

There is a brutally honest section of the book about how you fell out of love with your wife, and essentially chose soccer.
Tim Howard’s Wall of Intensity|William O’Connor|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The course Jackson taught at VMI, “Natural and Experimental Philosophy,” was brutally difficult.
Stonewall Jackson, VMI’s Most Embattled Professor|S. C. Gwynne|November 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It was a brutally hot day, 103 degrees, and the city was on the verge of a racial explosion.
Honoring The Late John Doar, A Nearly Forgotten Hero Of The Civil Rights Era|Gary May|November 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Instead they allegedly went crazy in the streets of Cambridge, assaulting strangers and brutally raping one young man.
Libyan Troops Go Wild in England|Nico Hines|November 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Brutally, Ms. Grande, to be a true diva you need to have lived a bit.
Ariana Grande, This Is How to Be a Diva|Tim Teeman|October 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
"Don't forget that I can make you do them," he said brutally.
The Land of Promise|D. Torbett
"I think you had better go home to your mother," he answered, brutally.
The Bride of the Tomb and Queenie's Terrible Secret|Mrs. Alexander McVeigh Miller
Brutally and publicly, on many occasions, Michelangelo made Lionardo feel his aversion for him.
Michelangelo|Romain Rolland
He was roughly seized, and brutally hurled back into the room of the mud house, so that we could not exchange a word more.
An Explorer's Adventures in Tibet|A. Henry Savage Landor
She perceived the futility of polite, introductory phrases here; she could go straight to her purpose, be brutally frank.
No Clue|James Hay

British Dictionary definitions for brutally

brutal

/ (ˈbruːtəl) /

adjective

cruel; vicious; savage

extremely honest or coarse in speech or manner

harsh; severe; extremebrutal cold

Derived Forms

brutality, nounbrutally, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012