1
as in cruelty
disposition to willfully inflict pain and suffering on others
the police were accused of brutality for using excessive force in making arrests
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in brutishness
the manifestation of the traits or the gratification of the appetites of a lower animal
the disconcerting ease with which the people adopted the brutality of the enemy invaders
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of brutality
The movie treats the cop avatar with reverence and valorizes police brutality.
—
Anupama Chopra, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Jan. 2025
For years, cinephiles have wrung their mittens over the brutality of Kevin McCallister.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 27 Dec. 2024
In the final game of season 1, childhood friends Gi-hun and Sang-woo face off in the titular Squid Game — their once-close bond shattered by the brutality of the competition.
—Jane Lacroix, People.com, 26 Dec. 2024
Most of the hundreds of human skeletons recovered from 2500 to 1500 BC in the country typically have not contained evidence of brutality, the study authors said.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 16 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for brutality 
Anupama Chopra, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Jan. 2025
For years, cinephiles have wrung their mittens over the brutality of Kevin McCallister.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 27 Dec. 2024
In the final game of season 1, childhood friends Gi-hun and Sang-woo face off in the titular Squid Game — their once-close bond shattered by the brutality of the competition.
—Jane Lacroix, People.com, 26 Dec. 2024
Most of the hundreds of human skeletons recovered from 2500 to 1500 BC in the country typically have not contained evidence of brutality, the study authors said.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 16 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for brutality
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brutality
Noun
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Blood is seen pouring out of skinned animals, the near-constant cruelty of the state’s differing climates is apparent and the ruthless, murderous human beings driven by capitalism and colonialism are lethal.Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 9 Jan. 2025
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Meagan Ann Dixon, 44, is charged with murder, child endangerment and multiple counts of cruelty to animals in connection to the slayings, Sutter County Superior Court records show.Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY, 8 Jan. 2025
Noun
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His incendiary rhymes, which boldly call out the atrocities carried out by the country’s dictatorial regime, have resulted in multiple arrests and extended stretches in prison over the last five years, for a sum total of 753 days.SPIN Staff, SPIN, 9 Jan. 2025
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Indeed, in recent years, this designation was made in the cases of the Daesh atrocities against Yazidis, Christians and other religious minorities, the atrocities against Uyghurs in Xinjiang, China, and the atrocities against the Rohingya in Myanmar.Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025
Noun
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All of a sudden, that animalism has been incarnated.Hunter Ingram, Variety, 25 Mar. 2024
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But what Cameron represents to Harper is unfettered animalism, and that’s part of what’s missing in her relationship with Ethan.Marlow Stern, Rolling Stone, 12 Dec. 2022
Noun
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But also, something more intrinsic — something like her animality.Camille Bromley Gabra Zackman Krish Seenivasan David Mason, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2025
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The other characters are getting animalities, as well: Peacemaker gets the eagle, Omni-Man the Hail Mary kaiju from Invincible, and Johnny Cage becomes a shark.Nick Romano, EW.com, 23 Sep. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near brutality
Cite this Entry
“Brutality.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brutality. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
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