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
Given the Normans’ brutal treatment of the English and their subsequent expansion across the Mediterranean, there are undeniable parallels between 1066 and later spasms of European expansionism.
—Will Collins, The Washington Examiner, 19 Sep. 2025
The eight-episode thriller, which premieres September 19 on ViX, follows Nolasco Black (Bichir), a forensic dentist investigating brutal murders in 19th century Veracruz who discovers evidence that the infamous London killer has crossed the Atlantic.
—Veronica Villafañe, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
As the week of increasingly brutal physical and mental tests progresses, Cam begins to realize strange forces are at play behind the scenes of Isaiah's mentorship.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 19 Sep. 2025
Directors Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza, an ex-soldier whose experience was the basis for the film, put viewers through uncannily real and unflinchingly brutal moments.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brutal
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Will Collins, The Washington Examiner, 19 Sep. 2025
The eight-episode thriller, which premieres September 19 on ViX, follows Nolasco Black (Bichir), a forensic dentist investigating brutal murders in 19th century Veracruz who discovers evidence that the infamous London killer has crossed the Atlantic.
—Veronica Villafañe, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
As the week of increasingly brutal physical and mental tests progresses, Cam begins to realize strange forces are at play behind the scenes of Isaiah's mentorship.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 19 Sep. 2025
Directors Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza, an ex-soldier whose experience was the basis for the film, put viewers through uncannily real and unflinchingly brutal moments.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brutal
Cite this Entry
“Brutal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brutal. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
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