1
as in harsh
difficult to endure
brutal hard labor in the hot sun
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
The economics are brutal and inescapable.
—
Jacob Bennett, Fortune, 18 Sep. 2025
His brutal murder was an act of political violence, and refusing to honor him reveals just how out of step these districts are with Oklahoma families.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
On the other side of the walkers is Mark Hamill’s Major, who rides in an armed Jeep and enforces the brutal rules of the contest.
—Kirsten Chuba, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025
In other words, the polar vortex signals potential cold approaching, but does not guarantee a brutal winter.
—Brandi D. Addison, jsonline.com, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brutal
Jacob Bennett, Fortune, 18 Sep. 2025
His brutal murder was an act of political violence, and refusing to honor him reveals just how out of step these districts are with Oklahoma families.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
On the other side of the walkers is Mark Hamill’s Major, who rides in an armed Jeep and enforces the brutal rules of the contest.
—Kirsten Chuba, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025
In other words, the polar vortex signals potential cold approaching, but does not guarantee a brutal winter.
—Brandi D. Addison, jsonline.com, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brutal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brutal
Adjective
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These findings highlight an urgent need to shield stem cells from the harsh realities of space.—
Pranjal Malewar,
New Atlas,
20 Sep. 2025
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Rain is coming, penciled in for an hour or two from now, and a harsh British wind is flinging leaves off branches and cloaking the countryside with something that smells dungy and damp.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
20 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Sena was crying in pain, and so were her new owners, who even questioned whether keeping her alive was cruel.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Sep. 2025
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Directed by Oliver Laxe, who’s been making waves at Cannes for years, the movie is funny and warm in parts, cruel and cold in others.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
20 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Even when hashed with the insecure NTLM function the old authentication uses, such a password would take more than five years for a brute-force attack to exhaust every possible combination.—
Jonathan M. Gitlin,
ArsTechnica,
18 Sep. 2025
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This dual-mode propulsion architecture, capable of both brute-force icebreaking and agile directional control, will make the new Polarstern uniquely equipped for complex polar operations.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The Red Rocketeers were looking to bounce back after a tough loss against King Phillip, but the opponent was strong.—
Zachary McMahon,
Boston Herald,
20 Sep. 2025
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Lee described the rookies as tough competitors who displayed a championship mentality during their run to the summer league championship.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
20 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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As and when evidence against that narrative comes out, either via six monthly reports or from some other source, the crash in the stock price will be more vicious than otherwise.—
Shivaram Rajgopal,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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In these homes, the conflict between budgeting and feeding kids well creates huge psychological stress for parents, which can lead to anxiety and depression, fueling the vicious cycle of stress and unhealthy eating, Beresin said.—
Yasmin Tayag,
The Atlantic,
14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Despite international aid groups withdrawing from Afghanistan due to the Taliban’s oppressive regime and its persecution of women and girls, the Reynolds chose to remain.—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN Money,
19 Sep. 2025
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Hurricane season and summer humidity can be oppressive.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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My father was a thirty-two-year-old tank commander who had crossed to occupied France shortly after D-Day, fought in the savage battle for Caen and then on through northern France.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Sep. 2025
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This thrilling prequel stars Anya Taylor-Joy as Furiosa and Alyla Browne as young Furiosa, who is abducted by the savage warlord Dementus (Chris Hemsworth) — leader of the Biker Horde — and spends the next decade in captivity plotting her revenge and escape.—
Charlotte Walsh,
People.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The next few minutes show her searing chicken that’s been marinated in paprika, salt and pepper, and sauteeing onions and tomatoes.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
20 Sep. 2025
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Many now consider Scorsese’s searing, boisterous boxing drama one of the director’s best — a brutal, black-and-white symphony of rage and violence.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
17 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Brutal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brutal. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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