brutality

noun

bru·​tal·​i·​ty brü-ˈta-lə-tē 

plural brutalities

1

: the quality or state of being brutal

2

: a brutal act or course of action

Synonyms

• atrociousness
• atrocity
• barbarity
• barbarousness
• cruelness
• cruelty
• fiendishness
• heartlessness
• inhumanity
• inhumanness
• sadism
• savageness
• savagery
• truculence
• viciousness
• wantonness

Examples of brutality in a Sentence

the brutalities of a prison

the police were accused of brutality for using excessive force in making arrests

Recent Examples on the Web

Set in Los Angeles in 2018, with police brutality and the early stages of the Black Lives Matter movement very firmly part of its zeitgeist, Forever begins with Keisha Clark (Lovie Simone) and Justin Edwards (Michael Cooper Jr.) unexpectedly reconnecting at a New Year’s Eve party. —Ebonie Walker, Refinery29, 12 May 2025

The Israeli government is indeed openly promising to commit horrific crimes against Palestinian civilians — brutality even above what the world has seen for the past year and a half. —Zack Beauchamp, Vox, 12 May 2025

But the racial element in most police brutality cases isn’t about the color of the cop. —Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 11 May 2025

Nichols died three days later, setting off another wave of police brutality protests around the country. —Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 8 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Medieval Latin brūtālitāt-, brūtālitās, from brūtālis "brutish, bestial" + Latin -itāt-, -itās -ity — more at brutal

First Known Use

1550, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for brutality

• banality
• bestiality
• carnality
• centrality
• chirality
• duality
• fatality
• finality
• formality
• frugality
• legality
• lethality

Kids Definition

brutality

noun

bru·​tal·​i·​ty brü-ˈtal-ət-ē 

plural brutalities

1

: the quality or state of being brutal

2

: a brutal act or course of action