as in harshly
in a manner so as to cause loss or suffering
the prisoners were treated brutally at the hands of the guards
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Recent Examples of brutally
Below, Entertainment Weekly catches up with Teddi — who revealed in April 2025 that her cancer had progressed to stage IV — to get an update on her health, hear her dad's brutally honest Masked Singer feedback, and more.
—
Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Feb. 2026
Mired in a brutally disappointing season, the New York Rangers traded star winger Artemi Panarin to the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday, just minutes before the NHL Olympic roster freeze.
—Jeff Capellini, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2026
Such a system would be brutally efficient, with civil society no longer able to make decisions that could threaten investments or disincentivize aspiring industrialists; after all, the people would have voted for the president’s agenda.
—Kaya Genç, The Dial, 3 Feb. 2026
For those hoping for a speedier end to what has been a brutally cold winter in many areas of the country, particularly Illinois, Gertie ended up delivering some disappointing news to the crowd.
—Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 3 Feb. 2026
Fifty-six days later, homicide investigators arrive at Oliver’s apartment to find an unidentified body—brutally murdered and intentionally decomposed.
—Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 1 Feb. 2026
Over 30 years ago, Los Angeles reached a boiling point following the acquittal of four police officers who brutally beat Rodney King.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 1 Feb. 2026
The movie is a fittingly brutally honest drama and silly buddy comedy all at the same time.
—Jed Gottlieb, Boston Herald, 1 Feb. 2026
Such concerns would feel more urgent if Rosenior’s team were not still finding ways to win in the midst of this most brutally congested stretch of the calendar.
—Liam Twomey, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026
Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Feb. 2026
Mired in a brutally disappointing season, the New York Rangers traded star winger Artemi Panarin to the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday, just minutes before the NHL Olympic roster freeze.
—Jeff Capellini, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2026
Such a system would be brutally efficient, with civil society no longer able to make decisions that could threaten investments or disincentivize aspiring industrialists; after all, the people would have voted for the president’s agenda.
—Kaya Genç, The Dial, 3 Feb. 2026
For those hoping for a speedier end to what has been a brutally cold winter in many areas of the country, particularly Illinois, Gertie ended up delivering some disappointing news to the crowd.
—Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 3 Feb. 2026
Fifty-six days later, homicide investigators arrive at Oliver’s apartment to find an unidentified body—brutally murdered and intentionally decomposed.
—Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 1 Feb. 2026
Over 30 years ago, Los Angeles reached a boiling point following the acquittal of four police officers who brutally beat Rodney King.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 1 Feb. 2026
The movie is a fittingly brutally honest drama and silly buddy comedy all at the same time.
—Jed Gottlieb, Boston Herald, 1 Feb. 2026
Such concerns would feel more urgent if Rosenior’s team were not still finding ways to win in the midst of this most brutally congested stretch of the calendar.
—Liam Twomey, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brutally
Adverb
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Recent changes narrowing the kinds of tasks agencies can perform when funding lapses also mean that shutdowns have the potential to hit a larger number of Americans more harshly than before, Abigail André, the executive director of the Impact Project, told me.—
Toluse Olorunnipa,
The Atlantic,
4 Feb. 2026
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The plaintiffs allege that Black employees in the office were disciplined more harshly than their colleagues, denied accommodations and subjected to escalating retaliation after raising concerns about Johnson’s leadership.—
Chaya Tong,
Austin American Statesman,
3 Feb. 2026
Adverb
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More severely, two-thirds of Americans believe the federal government is intentionally withholding information, according to a recent poll.—
Kaitlyn Buss,
Boston Herald,
8 Feb. 2026
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Three years before the balcony collapse that severely injured 10 people, the condo's property manager hired engineers and contractors.—
Gillian Stawiszynski,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Feb. 2026
Adverb
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The first of the four chapters is an oppressively gray-toned, narratively diffuse spy thriller, set amid the mists of what appears to be the Second World War.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
18 Dec. 2025
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The second planet from the sun has a completely inhospitable surface, with temperatures reaching 863 degrees Fahrenheit (462 degrees Celsius) and a crushing pressure underneath an oppressively thick atmosphere.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
1 Oct. 2025
Adverb
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What has been hardest is seeing ordinary lives, families, young people, civilians slowly reduced to headlines or abstractions, rather than recognized as individuals living under immense and sustained pressure.—
Emily Chan,
Vogue,
14 Feb. 2026
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Essentially, what seem like small tweaks have noticeable impacts on control when pushing the ski hard.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Brutally.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brutally. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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