1
as in harsh
difficult to endure
brutal hard labor in the hot sun
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cruel
having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others
a brutal tyrant who drove his country to revolt
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in brute
having or showing the nature and appetites of a lower animal
a coarse, brutal man who has no sense of what it means to be refined or sensitive or cultured
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of brutal
That’s a brutal schedule for any person, professional athlete or not.
—
James L. Edwards Iii, The Athletic, 20 Mar. 2025
Jack Turner, 18, was arrested on a felony battery charge in connection to the brutal assault, Santero said.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2025
The avalanche at Tunnel Creek in the Cascade Mountains involved a large group of ski industry professionals and resulted in three brutal fatalities.
—Ashley Thess, Outdoor Life, 14 Mar. 2025
Conquest is a much more brutal Viltrumite than Nolan.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brutal
James L. Edwards Iii, The Athletic, 20 Mar. 2025
Jack Turner, 18, was arrested on a felony battery charge in connection to the brutal assault, Santero said.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2025
The avalanche at Tunnel Creek in the Cascade Mountains involved a large group of ski industry professionals and resulted in three brutal fatalities.
—Ashley Thess, Outdoor Life, 14 Mar. 2025
Conquest is a much more brutal Viltrumite than Nolan.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brutal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brutal
Adjective
-
Designed for hiking and other outdoor adventures, these water-resistant pants are made with UPF 50 protection from harsh sun rays along with several spacious, handy pockets.—
Merrell Readman,
Travel + Leisure,
22 Mar. 2025
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Trump’s election confirmed, to some on the Left, that the country really was as bad as some of their harshest rhetoric suggested.—
Alexander Nazaryan,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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In Season 2, a cruel winter brings new challenges and unfinished business to Jacob (Harrison Ford) and Cara (Helen Mirren) back at Dutton ranch.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
19 Mar. 2025
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Michael, in a filmed conversation with Grace, claimed that his ex-wife had manipulated him and was cruel to Natalia.—
Fortesa Latifi,
Rolling Stone,
19 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Beyond that, Hamas’ only recourse to staying in power is brute force.—
TIME,
TIME,
23 Mar. 2025
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Rather than raids and brute force, the Trump administration must work with Congress on immigration reforms that benefit all Americans.—
Russel Honoré,
Newsweek,
5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The opening weekend miss for what was a very buzzy Sundance title back in 2023 about a troubled but ambitious bodybuilder follows controversy around its star and comes at a tough time for indie films in general.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
23 Mar. 2025
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As long as Flagg is on the floor, the Blue Devils will be a tough out.—
Tobias Bass,
The Athletic,
23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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This creates a vicious cycle: more applications lead to lower acceptance rates, triggering even more applications from worried students.—
Sarah Hernholm,
Forbes,
22 Mar. 2025
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However, some people develop unhelpful habits and ways of thinking about sleep that create a vicious cycle, said Krieger, who is also director of the Center for Sleep Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN,
19 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Cryptocurrency mixers can be essential tools for individuals who value privacy, including those living under oppressive regimes, journalists, whistleblowers, and businesses that require confidentiality in their transactions.—
Becca Bratcher,
Forbes,
21 Mar. 2025
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Coventry became the minister of sports a year after the coup that removed Mugabe in the new administration of current President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Mugabe’s vice president who rights groups say has continued many of Mugabe’s oppressive policies.—
Gerald Imray,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The 2023 grand marshal is former Arizona Democratic congresswoman Gabby Giffords, gravely wounded in a savage mass shooting in 2011 that also killed six people.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Dec. 2022
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As savage Arctic cold was getting ready to surge south across North America, vivid imagery based on data from weather models showed us what was going to happen.—
Tom Yulsman,
Discover Magazine,
27 Dec. 2022
Adjective
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The main topic of conversation was how the duo turned a photo album featuring the banal daily activities of workers at Auschwitz-Birkenau into a searing play.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Mar. 2025
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Every actor’s Hamlet is theirs and theirs alone, and Olivier’s is big and hammy and searing and often quite devastating.—
Will Leitch,
Vulture,
3 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Brutal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brutal. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.
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