as in savages
an uncivilized person
the invading Germanic tribes were viewed as barbarians by the citizens of ancient Rome
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of barbarians
The world drew heavily from the paintings of fantasy illustrator Frank Frazetta, who depicted scenes of barbarians and beasts in conflict, of pulp fiction heroes, femme fatales, and fierce warrior women.
—
Steve Appleford,
SPIN,
29 June 2026
To an outsider, the scene may spark a certain Schadenfreude, like an army of tiny barbarians sacking Rome.
—
Burkhard Bilger,
New Yorker,
29 June 2026
Then, a thousand years after Rome fell to barbarians, Italy brightly lit the paths of the Renaissance for others to follow.
—
Gary Grasso,
Chicago Tribune,
26 June 2026
There are barbarians with battle axes and swords, robots with laser guns, spaceships, a warlock with a skull for a face.
—
Mike Ryan,
IndieWire,
4 June 2026
In most academic histories of European imperialism written in this century, the Europeans are the barbarians, killing and raping and looting on an unprecedented scale.
—
David A. Bell,
The New York Review of Books,
19 Mar. 2026
And if any of you barbarians out there slather ranch dressing on your wings, there’s a special place in hell just for you.
—
Bill Reinhard,
New York Daily News,
5 Feb. 2026
We were inspired by their outrageous VHS cover art that promised epic tales of heroic barbarians rescuing buxom babes from giant monsters.
—
Bear McCreary,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Nov. 2025
The Gauls had been described as barbarians by Julius Caesar and Livy, but now had become these Ur people, far more ancient and civilized than their ancient Roman detractors.
—
JSTOR Daily,
16 Oct. 2025
Steve Appleford,
SPIN,
29 June 2026
To an outsider, the scene may spark a certain Schadenfreude, like an army of tiny barbarians sacking Rome.
—
Burkhard Bilger,
New Yorker,
29 June 2026
Then, a thousand years after Rome fell to barbarians, Italy brightly lit the paths of the Renaissance for others to follow.
—
Gary Grasso,
Chicago Tribune,
26 June 2026
There are barbarians with battle axes and swords, robots with laser guns, spaceships, a warlock with a skull for a face.
—
Mike Ryan,
IndieWire,
4 June 2026
In most academic histories of European imperialism written in this century, the Europeans are the barbarians, killing and raping and looting on an unprecedented scale.
—
David A. Bell,
The New York Review of Books,
19 Mar. 2026
And if any of you barbarians out there slather ranch dressing on your wings, there’s a special place in hell just for you.
—
Bill Reinhard,
New York Daily News,
5 Feb. 2026
We were inspired by their outrageous VHS cover art that promised epic tales of heroic barbarians rescuing buxom babes from giant monsters.
—
Bear McCreary,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Nov. 2025
The Gauls had been described as barbarians by Julius Caesar and Livy, but now had become these Ur people, far more ancient and civilized than their ancient Roman detractors.
—
JSTOR Daily,
16 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for barbarians
savages
Noun
-
Or a group of shipwrecked boys turning into savages and killing one another?
-
The Indians in Westerns had war paint and whooped like savages.
Cite this Entry
“Barbarians.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/barbarians. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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