brutish

[ broo-tish ]

adjective

1. brutal; cruel.
2. gross; coarse.
3. carnal; sensual.
4. uncivilized.
5. bestial; like an animal.

brutish

/ ˈbruːtɪʃ /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or resembling a brute or brutes; animal
2. coarse; cruel; stupid

Derived Forms

• ˈbrutishness, noun
• ˈbrutishly, adverb

Other Words From

• brutish·ly adverb
• brutish·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of brutish¹

First recorded in 1485–95; brute ¹ + -ish ¹

Example Sentences

From archaeological reconstructions of Neanderthals as stooped, hairy and brutish, to “cavemen” movies, our ancient ancestors got bad press.

From Singularity Hub 

Perhaps her sensibility toward comics as a woman who wasn’t always the primary target for the brash masculinity of the ’90s had mellowed her to some of the brutish standards of the period.

From The Daily Beast

The story was so appalling, the attack so brutish and morally offensive, that it provoked an immediate, furious response.

From The Daily Beast

Think of it as the Jersey Shore exception, where you can act like a brutish goon and the first bust is essentially a do-over.

From The Daily Beast

Sprewell also joins one of cogs in Pat Riley’s brutish ‘90s teams in racking up massive amounts of debt.

From The Daily Beast

The process of Republican change is going be what we might call a two-thirds Hobbes: nasty, brutish, and long.

From The Daily Beast

Yet the brutish rhetoric inevitably coming from GOP opponents will only alienate Hispanics even more than they already are.

From The Daily Beast

Courage, that a poor private carrying a musket has to spare of; that does not fail a weasel or a rat; that is a brutish faculty?

From Project Gutenberg

A brutish Indian; a favorite expression of the Limeños when speaking of the Indians, who certainly do not merit the compliment.

From Project Gutenberg

I do grace him as much as I may, for I find him marvellous greedy to do anything to recover the conceit of his brutish offence.'

From Project Gutenberg

These two children were full of vices—the little girl was untruthful, the boy brutish.

From Project Gutenberg

Are there gods, yet suffer Such innocent sweetness to be made the spoil Of brutish violence?

From Project Gutenberg