1
: suitable to one who lacks intelligence, sensitivity, or compassion : befitting a brute: such as
a
: cruel, cold-blooded
a brutal attack
c
: unpleasantly accurate and incisive
the brutal truth
d
: very bad or unpleasant
a brutal mistake
e
: grossly ruthless or unfeeling
a brutal slander
2
archaic
: typical of beasts : animal
Thee, Serpent … to me so friendly grown above the rest of brutal kind …—
John Milton
John MiltonExamples of brutal in a Sentence
Sailors sometimes faced brutal punishments like whipping.
a brutal struggle for survival in the wilderness
The writer describes the dangers of drugs with brutal honesty.
The movie is a brutal depiction of the war.
The traffic was brutal on the way to work.
I had a brutal headache this morning.
Recent Examples on the Web
Plus, the unknown impact AI will have on SaaS companies casts a brutal shadow over the sector, and the impact on Workday is significantly visible.
—Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 13 Feb. 2026
In an ecosystem squeezed by the brutal economics of streaming and the continuing struggles of the theatrical model, far too many worthy films go unsold and unseen.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 13 Feb. 2026
As Troy’s welfare officer, Claypole tries to reconnect him with his estranged mother, Troy is increasingly caught up in the institution’s brutal hierarchy and is eventually forced to make impossible choices.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 12 Feb. 2026
The seven new deaths all occurred at private residences, coming on top of the 18 New Yorkers found dead outside since the city’s brutal streak of Code Blue nights began.
—Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for brutal
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Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 13 Feb. 2026
In an ecosystem squeezed by the brutal economics of streaming and the continuing struggles of the theatrical model, far too many worthy films go unsold and unseen.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 13 Feb. 2026
As Troy’s welfare officer, Claypole tries to reconnect him with his estranged mother, Troy is increasingly caught up in the institution’s brutal hierarchy and is eventually forced to make impossible choices.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 12 Feb. 2026
The seven new deaths all occurred at private residences, coming on top of the 18 New Yorkers found dead outside since the city’s brutal streak of Code Blue nights began.
—Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for brutal
Cite this Entry
“Brutal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brutal. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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